Nowadays, it seems like everything is "genetic." But, when it comes to Alzheimer's Disease, the Mayo Clinic reports that only about 5% of the cases are thought to be hereditary. It turns out that the things correlated with dementia are also correlated with heart disease. And things that make for a full and healthy life are also correlated with a healthy brain. So, while there is no sure-fire way to avoid dementia problems like Alzheimer's ....
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The term "dementia" can be considered an umbrella term. There are many, many kinds of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type. So, when someone is talking about dementia, they are also talking about Alzheimer's as well as all the rest of the different types. Read More....
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My Aging Brain: What's Your Name, Again?
 By Andrew Weil, M.D. I'm in my sixties, and I sometimes seem to temporarily forget the most ordinary things... names, phone numbers. My doctor says not to worry, but I'm concerned that my memory is failing, and of course, I worry about Alzheimer's. This also happens to some of my friends. What do you think?
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 Alzheimer's Disease and "Sundowning"
Some people with Alzheimer's Disease have a cluster of symptoms known as "Sundowning." Basically, Sundowning is when a person's agitation, confusion, neediness, and behavioral symptoms seem to get worse in the late afternoon when the sun is typically setting.
Researchers do not yet know for sure what causes this issue - but have noticed that it tends to occur most in the middle stages of the disease progression, it causes a great deal of stress for the person and the caregiver(s), and is correlated with an increased likelihood of night wandering and other sleep disturbances. Read More...
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I have found that many times family caregivers of an elder with any type of dementia are unable to even think of questions they might ask to help make their lives more calm, as well as help their loved one. They are so often caught up in just getting through today without a crisis, that they don't have the mental energy to think of alternatives, or even to think about helping themselves. Read More....
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Nutrition and exercise can help stop or slow age-related memory loss and even help prevent Alzheimer's disease. We know that the incidence of Alzheimer's is higher than normal among people whose diets are high in saturated fat, which causes free radical damage leading to inflammation of the brain. On the other hand, omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, sardines and flax seeds appear to be protective.
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