Category Archives: Living with a Neurological Condition

Subjective Cognitive Decline (research)

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There was an interesting article this week in the New York Times about worldwide research into “subjective cognitive decline” – where an individual believes he/she is suffering from cognitive decline but there is no objective evidence of this.

The article reported that Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers “found that people with more concerns about memory and organizing ability were more likely to have increased levels of amyloid, a key Alzheimer’s-related protein, in their brains.”  

At Mayo Rochester, something similar was seen:  “those who had a concern about their memory in fact had more likelihood of later developing mild cognitive impairment, an early phase of dementia.”

A German researcher, convinced of the existence of “subjective cognitive decline” for years, said that:

“[In] diseases from arthritis to Parkinson’s, people often feel something is wrong before others notice. In most phases of dementia, family members and friends see deficits, but the disease has usually stolen the person’s ability to recognize them. But at the subjective phase, studies suggest family members may miss problems; the person may feel his mind working harder, but he still functions well.”

 The New York Times article says:  “Experts also are not yet suggesting doctors regularly screen people for ‘subjective cognitive decline’ because much more research is needed and no effective dementia treatment now exists.”

Here’s a link to the article:

www.nytimes.com/2013/07/18/health/looking-for-early-signs-of-dementia.html

Looking for Early Signs of Dementia? Ask the Patient
New York Times
By Pam Belluck
Published: July 17, 2013

Robin

“6 Mind Hacks That Keep Stress In Check”

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I’ve been taking a mindfulness-based stress reduction class at Palo Alto Medical Clinic, so the topic of using your mind to change your perception is of interest to me these days.  I thought this was a good, short article on six things you can do to keep “stress in check.”

The six stress management techniques include:

  • Be mindful of how you label things.
  • Erase and replace.
  • Use your imagination.
  • Look at your life as a movie.
  • Revisit what’s valuable.
  • Stop by a graveyard.

I especially liked “Look at your life as a movie.”  Here’s what the author has to say about this technique:

Look at your life as a movie.
You’re the director — you get to decide which events become catastrophe, and which don’t make the cut. This is a practice that involves stepping away. “Be the watcher rather than the reactor,” [Lauren E. Miller, author and stress expert] instructs. Look at a stressful moment as if it’s on screen — imagine the scene that initially caused you to feel stressed, and imagine your reaction to it. There’s a lot you can do with this power. You can add props (have the people who are making you feel threatened wear clown costumes, for example). You can make the aggressive characters in your life physically smaller, and decide that your voice is louder than all of the supporting actors of your life’s movie. Looking at a problem from this angle will remind you that you’re in control.

Here’s a link to the full article:

www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/16/stress-relief-tips-get-out-of-your-head_n_3562190.html

6 Mind Hacks That Keep Stress In Check (Really!)
The Huffington Post
By Kate Bratskeir
Posted: 07/16/2013 8:18 am EDT

Robin

 

 

Recommended Blogs – About Having Alzheimer’s and About the Final Phase of Life

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The New York Times has a blog called “The New Old Age.”  It often has good articles on caregiving and aging.  Last Monday’s post is about two recommended blogs — one about having Alzheimer’s Disease, and the other on “the final phase of life.”  Both bloggers are physicians – one retired and one still active.  The blogs are:

“Watching the Lights Go Out”
davidhilfiker.blogspot.com
by David Hilfiker, a 68-year-old retired MD who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in September 2012

“Life in the End Zone”
blog.drmurielgillick.com/2013/06/back-in-business.html
by Muriel Gillick, MD, a geriatrician and palliative care physician who cares for both elderly parents.  She is also the author of a book titled “The Denial of Aging: Perpetual Youth, Eternal Life and Other Dangerous Fantasies.”

I took a quick look; both blogs look very well-written.

Here’s a link to the New York Times article about these two blogs:

newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/two-blogs-worth-reading/

The New Old Age: Caring and Coping
Two Blogs Worth Reading
The New York Times
By Paula Span
June 24, 2013, 11:50 am

The New York Times post refers to a Washington Post article about David Hilfiker, who lives in Washington, DC.  Here’s a link to Dr. Hilfiker’s Washington Post article:

www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-dc-doctor-blogs-about-his-decline-as-alzheimers-claims-his-mind/2013/03/30/6b007452-9239-11e2-9cfd-36d6c9b5d7ad_story.html

Robin

“Constructive Rest”

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This post is mostly about something called “constructive rest,” which is a new term for me.

Recently on the Link2Care email list, the moderator, Chamundi, wrote about her mother with Alzheimer’s.  Her mother was nervous if she couldn’t see Chamundi.  When Chamundi was in another room, the mother would call for her.  Rather than getting upset, Chamundi decided to use some of her time with her mother to “rest.”  She would lie on the floor.  If the mother said things that could be ignored, Chamundi would say “I want to just rest here for a little while, Mom, and I’ll get up in a few minutes.”  Eventually the mother rested as well.

That story led someone else on Link2Care to offer a link to a blog post about “constructive rest.”  See:

www.somahappy.com/2012/10/constructive-rest/

In the 5-minute video at the bottom of that blog post, the instructor, Brooke Thomas, demonstrates a good position to lie in for “constructive rest.”  She suggests dedicating 15 minutes each day to this sort of rest.

It probably makes sense to lie on the floor near a sturdy chair or table so that the furniture can be used for help getting up off the floor.

I’ve copied part of the blog post below.

Robin

—————————————————————————
www.somahappy.com/2012/10/constructive-rest/

Excerpts From

Constructive Rest
From Soma Happy
October 17, 2012

WHAT IS IT?

It is what it sounds like: resting for a constructive purpose. The most common purposes that people utilize constructive rest in their lives are 1) to decrease stress/relieve anxiety and trauma and 2) to relieve chronic pain. Constructive rest is originally a part of The Alexander Technique (alexandertechnique.com), and is taught by Alexander teachers as a way of relieving excess tension from the body which has the nifty effect of helping people to heal both stress/anxiety and pain. Jonathan Fitzgordon (and many others) believe this is because it is the only pose that allows the psoas muscle to release, and a healthy psoas is the key to a healthy and pain free body.

WHY DO IT?

It is amazing how much people will moan and groan when I give this pose to them for “homeplay”: “I just have to lie there? For 15 minutes? How will I know it’s doing anything!? Can I read? Listen to an audio book? Watch TV!? Why do I just have to lie around for so long!!!” You would think I had recommended that they remove their back molars with pliers.

I get it. We are a part of a culture of doers, and I’m a big time type A doer myself. Prescribing such passiveness to people in order to rid them of either their pain or anxiety kind of gives them the feeling of putting their trust in a witch doctor and hoping they’ll miraculously feel better. Well whether it fits into our mental model of how the world works or not (i.e. “You have to work hard to see any results.”), the truth is that rest can often accomplish a lot more than efforting. Imagine your life without any sleep at night and you start to get an idea. It’s all about balance and the rest cycle is an important part of our well-being.