Alzheimer's Foundation of America |
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Caregiving Strategies to Keep the Holiday Cheer
 With the holiday season upon us, many families affected by Alzheimer's disease may find it challenging to keep and spread the holiday cheer. Some caregivers may worry that the behavior of a loved one with dementia may disrupt family gatherings, while others may feel remorse that the holidays are no longer as joyful as in the past.
The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) offers tips on how to better manage - and enjoy - holiday celebrations:
- Communicate concerns. In advance of the holidays, be candid with family and friends about your loved one's condition and your concerns, and enlist their support.
- Set realistic expectations. Consider both what the individual with dementia is capable of and what you, as a caregiver, can handle given your demanding role. Then, put family gatherings and traditions into manageable proportions.
- Select appropriate activities. Be mindful of the individual's current capabilities and pick activities the person can still appreciate and engage in, such as singing and helping to bake cookies.
- Stick with familiar settings. Because new environments can increase disorientation and pose safety concerns, discard restaurants or relatives' houses in favor of your own home.
- Head off problems. Avoid alcohol, which may cause depression, increase the risk of falls and add to the loss of brain cells. Schedule holiday activities or visits earlier in the day before the potential for sundowning - behavioral problems that typically occur toward dusk among those in the middle stages of dementia.
- Welcome youngsters. While it is important to include children, it is just as vital to consider their feelings. Address the fear factor by helping them have special moments with their relatives.
- Enjoy yourself. The greatest gift at the holidays: time. Ask a family member, friend or healthcare professional to keep your loved one company so you can relish some respite.
For a complete list of caregiving tips for the holidays, click here. |
One Experimental Drug Advances in Testing, Another Pulled
 It was good news and bad news this week for experimental drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease. Merck & Co. announced that it is moving into phase 2 clinical trials of an oral treatment, MK-8931, to test its safety and effectiveness in people living with mild to moderate cases of Alzheimer's disease. The drug, known as a BACE inhibitor, is designed to stop an enzyme that promotes beta amyloid - the hallmark protein that causes plaque buildup in people with the disease. The phase 2 testing involves about 200 people.
In contrast, Bristol-Myers Squibb said it was stopping development of an experimental drug, avagacestate, that targeted the sticky amyloid plaque buildup associated with Alzheimer's disease. According to the company, data from the phase 2 clinical trial and results from a current study showed that the drug was not effective enough to move into the final phase of testing needed for regulatory approval in the United States. |
Long-Term Care Costs Continue to Rise in U.S.
 The price tag for long-term care and homemakers/companions in the United States rose over the past year to continue a five-year upward trend, according to the recently-released MetLife Mature Market Institute's 10th annual market survey of nearly 6,700 providers nationwide. Only the rates for home health aides and adult day services stayed constant.
Between 2011 and 2012, the rate for a private room and semi-private room at nursing homes was up 3.8 percent to $90,520 annually and 3.7 percent to $81,030 annually, respectively. Alaska had the most expensive rates, exceeding $680 for both types of rooms. At assisted living communities, base costs increased 2.1 percent to $42,600 annually. Over the past five years, average annual cost increases at all types of long-term facilities hovered around four percent, with assisted living costs rising the most at 4.1 percent.
While the latest survey showed a 5.3 percent jump in the hourly rates for homemakers/companions, from $19 to $20 per hour, rates held at $21 per hour for home health aides and $70 per day for adult day services. Annually, costs are $20,800 for homemakers and $21,840 for home health aides (both based on four hours per day, five days per week), and $18,200 for adult day services for five days per week.
Among the long-term care providers surveyed that cater to the specific needs of people with dementia, 61 percent of assisted living communities charge an additional fee for clients with dementia, while at approximately 80 percent of nursing homes and 98 percent of home care agencies do not charge more for this population.
For information about long-term care planning, click here. |
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News to Use
- It's National Influenza Vaccination Week. Flu season is here, and people 65 and older face greater risk of developing flu-related complications. Here are suggestions on how to care for people with the flu.
- Medicare annual open enrollment ends tomorrow - December 7: Medicare beneficiaries have until December 7 to make any adjustments, if necessary, to their current government health plan, Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C), and prescription drug coverage, Medicare Part D for 2013. In addition to reviewing Medicare plan changes, beneficiaries should take advantage of other benefits provided through the Affordable Care Act.
- As part of its Medicare Learning Series, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is offering a free Webinar on December 11 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (ET) on Medicare eligibility requirements for people under 65 with a disability.
- The "Understanding Dementia Care Tour," co-sponsored by AFA and Senior Helpers and featuring dementia care expert Teepa Snow, continues on the road in January. Seminars for healthcare professionals and/or family caregivers will be held in Dallas and Austin, TX; Cherry Hill, NJ; Louisville, KY; and Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, FL. For details and to register, visit www.teepasnowtour.org.
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News Updates
- Vitamin D Linked to Cognitive Health in Women... In one United States study of 6,000 elderly women, the participants who had very low levels of vitamin D were more likely to have global cognitive impairment and higher risk of global cognitive decline. In another study, of nearly 500 women aged 75 or older in France, researchers found that the women who developed Alzheimer's disease had lower dietary intake of vitamin D when compared to those who developed other types of dementia or did not develop dementia. Read more...
- Active Lifestyle Conserves Gray Matter in Brains of Older Adults... A combination of aerobic activities that burn a high amount of calories, such as swimming dancing or even gardening, helps preserve gray matter in the brain - an indicator of brain health - and may help ward off symptoms of dementia, research has found. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology scans and data collected over 20 years on adults averaging 78 years old, the scientists found that greater energy output was associated with larger gray matter volumes in parts of the brain critical to cognitive function. They found similar results among healthy participants and those who had mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease. Read more...
- Link Grows Between Head Trauma and Brain Disease... A new study of brain samples taken from deceased athletes, military veterans and others who suffered repeated mild traumatic brain injuries shows that 80 percent of them had evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), an incurable, degenerative brain disorder marked by dementia, memory loss and depression. Among the 68 men found to have CTE, 50 were football players. The researchers also created a four-tier system to classify the varying degrees of CTE in an effort to help doctors treat the condition. Read more...
- High Risk of Cardiovascular Disease May Speed Mental Decline... A study among adults age 50 and older show that risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke - including high blood pressure, high cholesterol obesity and smoking - can also increase the decline in cognitive functioning. Among the most significant results, smoking was associated with lower performance on all measures for memory and executive functioning, such as verbal fluency. Read more...
- Scientists Identify Rare Gene Mutation Tied to Alzheimer's Risk... Two groups of international researchers have separately identified a rare mutation on a gene involved in inflammation and immune response that poses a moderate risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. The scientists found that the gene variant of TREM2 weakens the effectiveness of the body's white blood cells, hindering the brain's ability to prevent plaque buildup - the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. The study found that people who have the mutated gene are three to five times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease in old age. Read more...
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December 6, 2012
Volume 5 Issue 23
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Hats Off to
The Latinas Hat Society
The Latinas Hat Society Inc., a Bronx, NY-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping their local communities through the empowerment of Latina women, held a music-themed fundraiser earlier this year in New York.
Entitled, "Homenje Al Bolero," the event included a guitar trio singing classic Spanish songs.
The fundraiser was attended by more than 100 supporters and raised $3,000 for AFA.
"Everyone had a fabulous trip down memory lane," said Ibon Pedraza, the organization's founder and president.
"Let's continue to fight the war against Alzheimer's," said Pedraza, whose mother-in-law and father-in-law passed away from the disease.
For suggestions on holding fundraising events in your community, click here. |
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December 13, 2012
Pre-Recorded Teleconference for Family & Professional Caregivers
"The Biology of Dementias"
1:00 p.m. (ET)
Guest Speaker:
Carole Larkin, MAG, CMC, CDP, EICS, geriatric care manager, ThirdAge Services, Dallas, TX
For more info, click here.
January 8, 2013
Free Webinar
"Learning to Live After the Diagnosis"
2:00 p.m. (ET)
AFA, Senior Helpers and the American Society on Aging present a free Webinar featuring
dementia care expert
Teepa Snow.
To register, click here. |
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Year-End Donations
To make a gift that qualifies for a tax-deduction in 2012, your mailed contribution in the form of a check or money order must be postmarked on or before December 31, 2012.
Credit card donations sent through the mail or authorized over the phone must be received at AFA by close of business (5:00 p.m., ET) on Thursday, December 27, 2012 to ensure processing by December 31.
The Legacy SocietyAFA's Legacy Society offers special recognition to individuals who have included AFA in their wills or estate plans.
Support AFA Monthly
Donors can now make recurring monthly donations to AFA, which will be automatically deducted from your credit card each month. You may cancel at any time. |
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Join us on Inspire
AFA's Support Community connects individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and their families, friends and caregivers to provide support and improve quality of life.
Sign the Stop Alzheimer's Petition!
Speak out now against Alzheimer's disease. Together we can become a chorus of voices echoing through the halls of Washington, DC, speaking for those who are in the shadows.
 
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