February 4, 2022 —
By Janet Jackson-McCulloch As wonderful as Valentine’s Day can be, it can also serve as a painful reminder of happier times when you love someone with dementia. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that along with my decades of professional experience with this heartbreaking illness, I also understand it on a personal level. My mother-in-law had... Read More
August 23, 2021 —
The Flintstones had all sorts of humorous labor-saving devices—a dinosaur lawn mower, a mastodon vacuum cleaner and so forth. But in reality, our ancient ancestors worked hard to survive. Anthropologists tell us this might be why it’s so hard to get ourselves moving, even if we know that physical activity is healthy for us. Are... Read More
June 21, 2021 —
June Is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. This is a time that we focus on the 50 million people who are living with Alzheimer’s disease—and also on the many millions of family members and friends who are supporting their well-being. Family caregiving is hard work, especially when a loved one is living with memory loss.... Read More
April 20, 2020 —
Family Caregivers Have New Concerns of Loved Ones With Alzheimer’s When a senior is living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder, family members often worry about their loved one’s safety. Will Dad go to bed, forgetting the tea kettle is boiling on the stove? Will Mom get lost? Will Uncle Chuck keep trying to... Read More
February 4, 2020 —
Polls show that when it comes to brain health and healthy aging, worrying about memory loss is a top concern of Americans. A recent study conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation found that nearly half of middle-age residents of the U.S. think they’re at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease... Read More
December 30, 2019 —
Beth’s father is living with Alzheimer’s disease. Beth is usually careful that he doesn’t leave the house alone, but one night she forgot to lock the door, and in the morning, Dad was gone. Should she call the police? Before she could decide, the police called her. Although Dad had quit smoking 20 years before,... Read More
December 23, 2019 —
Whether your family celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or other winter holidays, you are probably making plans right now for the festivities. If you are caring for a family member who has Alzheimer’s disease or another type of memory loss, some advance preparation can help things go smoothly. Before the visit If you are the family... Read More
October 14, 2019 —
Much recent research has shed light on what’s been called an “epidemic” of loneliness among seniors. A recent study from the University of Michigan found that 25% of older adults reported feeling lonely. We know that loneliness is a health problem—experts have called it “as bad for our health as smoking or obesity.” In particular,... Read More
September 9, 2019 —
September 23 is Falls Prevention Awareness Day, a time to call attention to the serious problem of falls among older adults. Each year one-third of all older adults will fall, and many of them are seriously, even fatally, injured. Anyone can fall and certain conditions that are common among older adults raise the risk. Those... Read More
July 30, 2019 —
Every human culture has a musical tradition. Why do we love music? If you think about it, isn’t it remarkable that among all the many noises in the world, we perceive certain tones, patterns and intervals as “music”? Brain scientists continue to study this uniquely human mystery, and now they are even using advanced imaging... Read More
