Category Archives: Alzheimer’s

5 things to do after a diagnosis

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5 things to do after a diagnosis

Though titled “What to do after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis,” I think most of the article applies to any diagnosis.  This article is directed as caregivers but some of it applies to those with a diagnosis.

According to the Next Avenue (nextavenue.org) article, the five things to do after a diagnosis are:

* Organize Documents and Resources
* Collect Memories
* Continue to Do Enjoyable Things
* Plan Care Options
* Prepare for Anticipatory Grief

Here’s a link to the article:

www.nextavenue.org/after-alzheimers-diagnosis/

What to Do After an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
Taking these concrete steps will help you cope later on
Next Avenue
By Amy Florian
January 20, 2017

Robin

Anosognosia (lack of awareness) in dementia

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Someone on a frontotemporal dementia online support group recently suggested this “Senior Living Blog” post on anosognosia, which is a lack of awareness of impairment.  Though this post is focused on Alzheimer’s Disease, I believe it can affect those with non-AD dementias as well, such as LBD, PSP, and CBD.

Obviously if the family member has anosognosia, this is a difficult situation for the caregiver who wants to provide care and work with physicians to provide treatment.  Of course many of us think that our family member must be in a state of denial, when it’s really anosognosia.  Sarah Stevenson, the author of the “Senior Living Blog” post, addresses all of these issues.

Ms. Stevenson wisely draws on an AlzOnline article about anosognosia; it’s one of the best articles I’ve read.  See this email from 2009:

www.brainsupportnetwork.org/dealing-with-anosognosia-unawareness-of-decline-or-difficulties/

Ms. Stevenson also offers this suggestion:  Try reading “I Am Not Sick. I Don’t Need Help!” by psychologist Xavier Amador, a professor at Columbia University.  This book “provides practical recommendations for those who lack insight into their mental illnesses.”

Here’s a link to the post:

www.aplaceformom.com/blog/3-4-14-anosognosia-and-alzheimers/

Senior Living Blog
Anosognosia and Alzheimer’s
A Place for Mom
By: Sarah Stevenson
Posted On 22 Mar 2016

Good luck!

Robin

 

Problems families dealing with dementia may face

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I recently stumbled across the website, patient.info, which is a resource for UK physicians about various disorders.  The website contains a helpful page about caregiving for someone with dementia.  Though it is written with physicians in mind (ie, how physicians can be supportive of families), I think the page provides a good summary for laypeople as well.

In addition, I think much of this article applies to caregivers who are NOT dealing with dementia.  Much of the information and advice is generic.

Here’s a link to the full article:

patient.info/doctor/supporting-the-family-of-people-with-dementia

Supporting the Family of People with Dementia
Patient, a UK organization
Last reviewed May 2014

Note that in the UK “caregivers” are referred to as “carers.”  (It’s a superior term in my mind.)

Robin

Short description of Lewy body dementia

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Short description of Lewy body dementia

The website DementiaGuide (dementiaguide.com) describes itself as “helping people affected by dementia.”  It looks to be a business wanting to enroll families for a fee in dementia symptom tracking.

Their short webpage on the three most common types of dementia includes a paragraph of Lewy body dementia.  See:

www.dementiaguide.com/community/dementia-articles/Symptoms_of_Different_Types_of_Dementias

Differentiating Different Types of Dementia Symptoms
Identifying unique symptoms that correlate with common types of dementia
DementiaGuide

I’ve copied a short excerpt below.  Every day I went to the webpage, the day the short article was “posted” changed to the day I went looking so I’m not sure how relevant the date is.

Robin

——————————–
Excerpt from:
Differentiating Different Types of Dementia Symptoms
Identifying unique symptoms that correlate with common types of dementia
DementiaGuide

There are many conditions that can cause dementia. These underlying conditions are also referred to as types of dementia. The three most common types are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia.

Dementia symptoms that generally occur in all three types include significantly impaired intellectual functioning, memory loss, loss of ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control, neglect of personal safety, hygiene, nutrition and personality changes. Each dementia type has its own distinctive symptoms.

With the last dementia type, Lewy Body dementia, the differences in dementia symptoms are more distinctive. Hallucinations can occur at the early stages and not in the latter stages. Their cognitive impairments fluctuate frequently (moment-to-moment, day-to-day). So, one moment, someone with Lewy Body dementia can’t remember what day it is, but the next moment, he or she can remember everything they did years before. Unlike the other two dementia types, impaired memory does not occur first, but waits until they have had the dementia for a period of time. People with this dementia type may have distinctive Parkinson-like symptoms: tremors, slow movements, stooped posture, stiffness in arms/legs, shuffling walk patterns, and mask-like facial appearance. Dementia symptoms can be unique to the dementia type and help medical experts to differentiate the diagnosis.

Is Alzheimer’s Disease a Uniquely Human Disorder? (webinar)

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Alzforum is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, December 7th at noon eastern time on the topic of “Are we humans alone in developing Alzheimer’s disease?”

Other primates and even dogs accumulate amyloid plaques as they age, but seem surprisingly resistant to neurofibrillary tangles, neurodegeneration, and full-blown dementia. What sets us apart from other animals, and what can we learn from their resilience?

Join Lary Walker, Marc Dhenain, Elizabeth Head, Patrick Hof, Cynthia Lemere, and Peter Nelson for an Alzforum Webinar.  For more info and a link to the registration page, check out:

www.alzforum.org/webinars/alzheimers-disease-uniquely-human-disorder