Julianne Moore won an Oscar last night for her heartbreaking portrayal of a woman with early-onset Alzheimer’s in Still Alice. At Brain Matters, we hope the movie will raise awareness about Alzheimer’s research. In that spirit, here is an editorial by Alzheimer’s researcher Dr. Julie Harris, courtesy of the Huffington Post: “While the …
Alzheimer’s disease affects over 5 million Americans and is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. The National Institute on Aging characterizes the illness as an “irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks of daily living.” Most people …
Since Alzheimer’s impairs a person’s reasoning and communication abilities, caregivers need to think strategically to meet daily challenges. In conjunction with self-care techniques, these four practical tips can help make a caregiver’s burden a little lighter: 1. Being logical won’t help: As humans, we tend to rationalize things that don’t make …
Alzheimer’s caregivers take on a heavy burden. Courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Association, this is Beverly’s caregiver story: “Ironically, my mother’s Alzheimer’s is teaching me that I do not need to remember every little painful specific, not in the manner I once remembered them. What a relief to draw the honest conclusion that I’m no longer …
Being an Alzheimer’s caregiver means taking on a lot of responsibilities. Sometimes you may be so preoccupied with caring for your loved one that you neglect your own health. Here are some tips to stay healthy as a caregiver: Visit the doctor: Visit the doctor at least once a year and report …
Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, recently wrote an impassioned editorial trying to get people involved in the fight to cure Alzheimer’s. Here are excerpts from that article, courtesy of the Huffington Post: “More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2014 Alzheimer’s Disease …
It is no surprise that being outdoors can improve stress or lessen the chances of cancer, but new research suggests that being outdoors may even trigger memories for those suffering from mental decline, or dementia. According to the new study, outdoor spaces, such as a garden, can have a positive impact on the mental and …
A new technology called oPhone, developed by David Edwards and colleagues at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, may be used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and mental illness. The oPhone enables odors to be sent via email, tweet or text to other oPhones using Bluetooth and smartphone attachments. “The …
Alzheimer’s is a devastating and fatal disease that affects both the patient and his/her loved ones. Memory loss is a major symptom of this disease, however, in a new Spanish study, researchers were able to successfully use gene therapy to reverse memory loss in mice who had early stage Alzheimer’s. For the study, …
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can take a lot of time and patience, and can be frustrating at times. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in 2012, over 15 million caregivers and family members spent 17 billion hours caring for people with the condition. If you have a friend of loved one …
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