Everyone struggles to come up with a name once in a while. But how can you tell if it’s more serious?

“One symptom alone does not necessarily indicate that a person has Alzheimer’s or dementia,” says Raj C. Shah, MD, of the Rush Memory Clinic at Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago. [...]]]> Is it Alzheimer’s?

Everyone struggles to come up with a name once in a while. But how can you tell if it’s more serious?

“One symptom alone does not necessarily indicate that a person has Alzheimer’s or dementia,” says Raj C. Shah, MD, of the Rush Memory Clinic at Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago. (Dementia is chronic loss of cognition, usually affecting memory, and Alzheimer’s causes 50% to 80% of dementia cases.)

There are many other causes of memory loss, including vitamin B12 deficiency, and brain, thyroid, kidney, or liver disorders. However, having several other symptoms could be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recognizing the signs of dementia can help lead to a quicker diagnosis.

Memory loss

Serious memory loss and confusion are not a normal part of aging. But forgetfulness caused by stress, anxiety, or depression can be mistaken for dementia, especially in someone who is older.

“We all forget the exact details of a conversation or what someone told us to do, but a person with AD will forget what just happened, what someone just said, or what he or she just said and therefore repeat things over and over again,” says Lisa P. Gwyther, co-author of The Alzheimer’s Action Plan: A Family Guide.

Memory loss isn’t consistent, and people with AD may forget the dog’s name one day and remember it the next. “Nothing is certain or predictable with most dementias except they do progress,” says Gwyther.

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Survey says majority of doctors not prepared to meet demand for Medicare wellness visits; boomers stretching ability to serve Medicare needs

One of the key strategies for Medicare implemented by the Obama health reform bill is a shift away from treating illness to a focus [...]]]> Few Seniors Getting Medicare Wellness Visits; Few Doctors Offering Them

Survey says majority of doctors not prepared to meet demand for Medicare wellness visits; boomers stretching ability to serve Medicare needs

One of the key strategies for Medicare implemented by the Obama health reform bill is a shift away from treating illness to a focus on preventing illness through efforts such as increased preventive health screening and paying doctors for advising senior citizens on how to live healthier lives. A new national study says, however, that a majority of healthcare practices across the country aren’t prepared to meet the demand of the 46.6 million Medicare beneficiaries who are now eligible for these wellness visits.

As Healthcare expenditures in the United States near $2.6 trillion, TeleVox Software, Inc., a leading provider of patient engagement communications (EC) services, today released a Healthy World Report titled, Healthcare Change: The Time is Now. The report addresses the healthcare industry’s essential shift away from primarily treating illness to keeping seniors healthy.

“With Medicare facing trillions of dollars in unfunded liabilities — meaning it will have to pay trillions of dollars more than is coming in – there is an understandable push for preventive care,” said Scott Zimmerman, President, TeleVox Software, Inc.

“In order for the program to be economically sustainable, costs must be lowered without compromising care. Our focus must be helping Medicare recipients manage chronic conditions, which have accounted for as much as one-third of all spending growth in recent years.”

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To learn more about senior home care in the Florida areas of Port Charlotte, Venice, Engelwood, North Port, Punta Gorda and Sarasota, visit http://floridahomecare.net. 

The memory loss and other cognitive changes characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease and most other forms of dementia can’t be reversed. But there are some proven ways to delay further decline, at least over the short term.

Mental Activity

A growing body of research indicates [...]]]> 5 things that can help someone with dementia maintain independence longer

The memory loss and other cognitive changes characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease and most other forms of dementia can’t be reversed. But there are some proven ways to delay further decline, at least over the short term.

Mental Activity

A growing body of research indicates that stimulating the brain has the power to slow the progress of Alzheimer’s, particularly in the early stages. Healthy elderly adults who are mentally active were 2.6 times less likely to develop dementia, according to the Rush Memory and Aging Project, an ongoing longitudinal study involving more than 1,200 older people.

What you can do:

Encourage the person in your care to participate in activities she finds pleasurable, especially those that engage the mind: reading, writing, playing the piano, working crosswords or puzzle books, playing games such as chess, or even learning a language. Present her with fresh materials or plenty of opportunities.

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To learn more about how we help families every day with senior home care in the Florida areas of Port Charlotte, Venice, Engelwood, North Port, Punta Gorda and Sarasota, visit us at http://floridahomecare.net.

There’s truth to the adage that you’re only as old as you feel. “Physical well-being and subjective well-being are two sides of the same coin,” says Howard Friedman, author of The Longevity Project, a [...]]]> Can Your Mental Health Affect Your Longevity?
Taking steps to improve your well-being may pay off in the long run

There’s truth to the adage that you’re only as old as you feel. “Physical well-being and subjective well-being are two sides of the same coin,” says Howard Friedman, author of The Longevity Project, a research-based look at who lives the longest and why. “Mental health affects physical health, and physical health affects mental health.”

Research paints a compelling argument. Adults with serious mental illness like schizophrenia die about 25 years earlier than the general population, according to a 2007 report from the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. They’re 3.4 times more likely to die of heart disease or diabetes, 3.8 times more likely to die in an accident, 5 times more likely to die of respiratory ailments, and 6.6 times more likely to die of pneumonia or flu, found the team led by Joseph Parks, director of the Missouri Institute of Mental Health.

Why? They often get little exercise, leading to obesity and hiking the odds of diabetes and heart disease. They’re also more likely than others to smoke and have alcohol and drug-abuse problems. It’s common for their medical needs to slip through the cracks, too, because they often cannot adequately advocate for their own health.

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Here’s the good news: Heart disease and its consequences are largely preventable. The bad news is that nearly one million Americans will suffer a heart attack this year.

Ron Winslow on Lunch Break [...]]]> The Guide to Beating a Heart Attack
First Line of Defense Is Lowering Risk, Even When Genetics Isn’t on Your Side

Here’s the good news: Heart disease and its consequences are largely preventable. The bad news is that nearly one million Americans will suffer a heart attack this year.

Ron Winslow on Lunch Break looks at how to prevent a heart attack, and Melinda Beck discusses symptoms to look out for and what to do while waiting for paramedics. Photo: Getty Images.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading killer of both men and women. Doctors worry that the steady progress from an intense public-health campaign beginning in the 1960s is in jeopardy thanks to the obesity epidemic and rising prevalence of diabetes. Only a relative handful of people are fully compliant with recommendations for diet, exercise and other personal habits well proven to help keep hearts healthy.

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Learn more about senior home care in the Florida areas of Port Charlotte, Venice, Engelwood, North Port, Punta Gorda and Sarasota by visiting us at http://floridahomecare.net.