UCSF Memory and Aging Center

I just visited the UCSF Memory and Aging Center for the first time. This new YouTube channel set up by UCSF is designed to educate patients, caregivers and health professionals about the various forms of neurodegenerative diseases. This is a great new vehicle and you can subscribe for free.

You can go to the website for a video that explains their mission.

Go here to learn more about Alzheimer’s and Frontotemporal Dementia.

This video caught my attention: Loss of moral reasoning and sense of self. While I have not experienced this problem with my mother, I am often asked about moral reasoning and how to deal with this.

 

Statins may protect against memory loss

I have written often on this website about Statins and Alzheimer’s. But, this quote in the University of Michigan School of Public Health release caught my attention.

People at high risk for dementia who took cholesterol-lowering statins are half as likely to develop dementia as those who do not take statins.

“The bottom line is that if a person takes statins over a course of about 5-7 years, it reduces the risk of dementia by half, and that’s a really big change,” said Haan, who notes that the study did not look at statins as a treatment for existing dementia, only as a preventative. Statins are drugs that specifically lower LDL or bad cholesterol.

After I read this I had to ask myself a simple question, should I be taking statins?

My cholesterol is ok, but, everyone in my immediate family suffers from high cholesterol and takes medication. Even with medication, my mother suffers from high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and Alzheimer’s.

I’ll discuss this with my personal physician shortly and make the decision.

Statins may protect against memory loss

People at high risk for dementia who took cholesterol-lowering statins are half as likely to develop dementia as those who do not take statins, a new study shows.

The study consisted of older Mexican-Americans in Sacramento, Calif., who suffered from metabolic conditions that put them at risk for developing dementia, Alzheimer’s or cognitive impairment without dementia, said Mary Haan, epidemiology professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and lead author of the study. Some of the risk factors for dementia include high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

“The bottom line is that if a person takes statins over a course of about 5-7 years, it reduces the risk of dementia by half, and that’s a really big change,” said Haan, who notes that the study did not look at statins as a treatment for existing dementia, only as a preventative. Statins are drugs that specifically lower LDL or bad cholesterol.

The longitudinal study was originally funded in 1997 to look at metabolic and vascular conditions like hypertension and diabetes and their effect on the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Earlier landmark findings by Haan’s group of the same study cohort established that certain metabolic and vascular disorders predicted Alzheimer’s and dementia. For instance, people with Type 2 diabetes are up to three times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, they found.

In this current study, Haan’s group set out to measure whether taking statins over time lowered the development of dementia in that same high-risk population. The resulting paper, “Use of Statins and Incidence of Cognitively Impaired Not Demented and Dementia in a Cohort Study,” will appear in the July 29 issue of Neurology.

“In older people you have so many different chronic conditions, especially in this group, that the chance of any intervention having an effect is fairly limited,” Haan said. “Say you’re 75 or 80 and you’ve got six diseases. How much is a treatment really going to help? This showed if you started using statins before the dementia developed you could prevent it in about half of the cases.”

It’s likely that many people taking statins have already benefited unknowingly from the dementia fighting properties, she said. Haan hopes the study will help fuel randomized trials to test statins and their ability to prevent dementia.

Of 1,674 participants who were free of dementia at the start of the study, 27 percent, or 452 people, took statins at some point in the study. Over the five-year follow up period, 130 participants developed dementia or cognitive impairment. Researchers adjusted for factors such as education, smoking status, the presence of a particular gene thought to predict dementia, and history of stroke or diabetes.

“We aren’t suggesting that people should take statins for purposes other than what they are indicated for, but hopefully this study and others will open the door to statin testing for dementia and other types of cognitive impairment,” Haan said.

It’s not clear exactly how statins work to decrease the development of dementia. An emerging risk factor for dementia is high insulin, Haan said, and one theory is that statins may work on those insulin pathways in a way that lowers the high insulin levels in the brain that can lead to the classic Alzheimer’s pathology.

Statins lowered the risk of dementia in all participants, but the statins had more of an impact on the group at high risk due to metabolic syndrome. The next step, Haan said, is to determine exactly how the statins work on the biochemical pathways involved in dementia.

The research is funded by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the NIH, and the American Health Assistance Foundation. Co-authors include Caryn Cramer and Sandro Galea of the U-M SPH Department of Epidemiology, Kenneth Langa of the U-M Division of General and Internal Medicine and U-M Institute for Social Research and John Kalbfleisch of U-M SPH Department of Biostatistics.

The University of Michigan School of Public Health has been working to promote health and prevent disease since 1941, and is consistently ranked among the top five public health schools in the nation. Faculty and students in the school’s five academic departments and dozens of collaborative centers and initiatives are forging new solutions to the complex health challenges of today, including chronic disease, health care quality and finance, emerging genetic technologies, climate change, socioeconomic inequalities and their impact on health, infectious disease, and the globalization of health. Whether making new discoveries in the lab or researching and educating in the field, SPH faculty, students and alumni are deployed around the globe to promote and protect our health.

Related Links:

Mary Haan

School of Public Health

Contact: Laura Bailey
Phone: (734) 647-1848

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Most Early Onset Dementia Not Alzheimer’s

“This is really a novel finding, because there hasn’t really been a study that’s looked at young-onset dementia in this way,” said study author Dr. Brendan J. Kelley, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “And the message is that young-onset dementia is generally not related to Alzheimer’s.”

For a more detailed report on early-onset Alzheimer’s, visit the U.S. Administration on Aging.

HealthDay News — The root cause of early-onset dementia is usually not Alzheimer’s, but rather another neurodegenerative or autoimmune disorder, new research suggests.

The study authors acknowledge that — age aside — the most common forms of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and the brain damage-associated condition known as Lewy body dementia. However, their current work indicates that among patients below the age of 45, the problem is much more likely to be traced back to diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s, lupus or HIV infection, among others.

“This is really a novel finding, because there hasn’t really been a study that’s looked at young-onset dementia in this way,” said study author Dr. Brendan J. Kelley, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “And the message is that young-onset dementia is generally not related to Alzheimer’s.”

The work of Kelley and his team was expected to be presented April 15 at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, in Chicago.

The U.S. Administration on Aging highlights 2006 estimates released by the Alzheimer’s Association, which indicate that between 220,000 and 640,000 American men and women currently suffer from early-onset dementia. The association specifically defines “early-onset Alzheimer’s” as referring to cases that develop before the age of 65.

However, in their study, Kelley and his team focused exclusively on 235 patients diagnosed with a form of dementia diagnosed between the ages of 17 and 45 — citing statistics suggesting that 12 in 100,000 people develop some form of early-onset dementia before the age of 45.

All the study patients had sought care at the Mayo Clinic between 1996 and 2006, and all had normal cognitive function prior to their dementia diagnosis.

A medical record analysis revealed that despite the fact that most adult dementia is a function of Alzheimer’s, less than 2 percent of the cases among the under-45 group was attributable to that disease.

Kelley and his colleagues found that other neurodegenerative conditions — such as frontotemporal dementia, a group of diseases commonly misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s — were at play in almost one-third of the cases.

Autoimmune and inflammatory disorders — such as MS — accounted for just over 20 percent of the dementia cases. Metabolic abnormalities were cited in just over 10 percent of the diagnoses, while for another 20 percent, no cause for dementia could be established.

Kelley said his work is ongoing. And he added that he and his colleagues are now trying to identify specific disease markers for early-onset dementia to help physicians distinguish those cases prompted by causes other than Alzheimer’s.

“Because some of the other disorders linked to early dementia have treatable profiles that allow targeting not just of the symptoms but of the underlying disease process,” he noted. “So, we really should be looking to identify them quickly when they are the cause, because the research suggests that treatment could result in a direct improvement of the patient’s cognition and behavior.”

Greg M. Cole, associate director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, described the findings as “interesting, but not completely unexpected”.

“We know that Alzheimer’s gets rarer and rarer the younger you go,” he said. “So, when you’re focused as this study is on people between 17 and 45 — really before middle-age — it’s more likely you’ll find some other cause for the dementia, which can be a variety of different things.”

“But if you’re looking at these other autoimmune causes — multiple sclerosis, lupus, HIV — the real question is, can you treat any of this?,” pondered Cole. “Because you can get lupus and MS to go into remission. So, in this case, if patients are getting dementia caused by either disease, can the dementia also go into remission? If they can get that to happen, that would be very interesting.”

More information

For additional information on early-onset Alzheimer’s, visit the U.S. Administration on Aging.

The Alzheimer’s Action Plan: The Experts’ Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

 

Vigorous Exercise Slows Aging

clipped from generationsandwich.blogspot.com Well, we knew it. Now the studies confirm it. Vigorous walking for an hour a day five times a week can chop a dozen years off the biological age of people 64 and older, according to Roy Shephard, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Toronto, reported online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. A review of recent studies in patients age 64 and older showed that such a regimen can boost maximal oxygen intake by about 25% within three months, effectively decreasing biological age by about 12 years. That sounds good to me! Labels: aging, exercise

 

Sometimes I Feel Like a Piece of Bologna

I noticed we had a couple of visits from a blog called Sometimes I Feel Like a Piece of Bologna . The name alone was enough to get me to go and take a look. What a pleasant surprise. This is a very useful blog that is chock full of information. As soon as I started “fishing” on the site, I realized it was a resource that I needed to bookmark.

Pat, at Generation Sandwich, also made a nice comment about the Alzheimer’s Reading Room. Thanks Pat. I will be adding Generation Sandwich to the Blog roll as soon as Blogger gets over its current technical glitch.

When you have the time, go take a look at Generation Sandwich. Oddly, I was eating a sandwich when I noticed the visits in our stats.

 

Drinking juice may delay onset of Alzheimer’s disease

Drinking fruit or vegetable juice may be better for you than you think. A new research study shows that drinking fruit or vegetable juice may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, Washington
following nearly 2,000 adults for 10 years found drinking fruit or vegetable juice more than three times a week cuts the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 76 percent compared to drinking it less than once a week. They found having juice once or twice a week reduced risk by 16 percent.

Highlights from the Study include:

“The theory is that the brain accumulates damage due to oxidation as we age, and if you can protect the brain from that damage you can protect the person from Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia,” said Eric Larson, MD.

Researchers saw the protective benefits from any type of juice. The study also found there are more antioxidants in juice than in vitamin C and E supplements.

According to Dr. Larson, juice is made using parts of the fruit with the highest concentration of natural antioxidants. “The theory is the brain accumulates damage due to oxidation as we age and if you can protect the brain from that damage, you can protect the person from Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia,” he said.

In most cases, juice is produced using the core, the seeds and the skin — parts of the fruit or vegetable people do not normally consume. The food is mashed together to create a concentrate. Juice is made in cold process, so nutrients aren’t damaged by heat. Juice will usually have a defined level of purity based on percentage of fruit juice. Juice should not be confused with squash, which is usually an artificial juice that can be diluted with water.

In theory, grape, apple and orange juices are very potent in antioxidants and could be the most effective at preventing Alzheimer’s disease, according to Dr. Larson. In the study, those who did not drink fruit juice, but ate several servings of fruit per week, saw some benefit. However, those who drank juice saw the most benefit.

Study participants who drank juice once or twice a week reduced their Alzheimer’s risk by 16 percent. Those who drank juice three times per week reduced their risk by 76 percent. Before you drink 10 glasses of orange juice each day, be aware there may be threshold for antioxidant consumption. Going above that amount may not necessarily bring benefits.

More on this study as it becomes available

 

Alzheimer’s Vaccine Patch Works in Mice

The Alzheimer’s vaccine being tested works by triggering the immune system to recognize and attack Ab — a protein that abnormally builds up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Source United Press International

Alzheimer’s vaccine patch works in mice

MIAMI, Jan. 22 (UPI) — A transdermal vaccine shows promise in treating the deadly memory-impairment disorder Alzheimer’s disease in mice, say U.S. researchers.

The needle-free approach appeared effective in clearing the Alzheimer’s-affected animals of the brain-damaging plaques that mark the disease, said researchers at the University of South Florida.

“While many groups have shown vaccinating against the beta amyloid protein (Ab) can reduce Alzheimer’s-like pathology including certain cognitive deficits, this study is the first to demonstrate that immunization using the skin may be an effective way to reduce Ab pathology,” said senior study author Jun Tan, director of the Neuroimmunology Laboratory at the Institute for Research in Psychiatry at USF.

The Alzheimer’s vaccine being tested works by triggering the immune system to recognize and attack Ab — a protein that abnormally builds up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

“The beauty is that something as simple and non-invasive as a skin patch could potentially be a promising therapy for Alzheimer’s disease,” said study coauthor Terrence Town.

A transdermal treatment for the disease would also reduce the risk of adverse immune reactions, the researchers said.

The study is published online this week in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

 

Alzheimer’s Disease–What is it? Who gets it? What causes it?

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of a condition called dementia. It is named for the German doctor who first described it, Alois Alzheimer. What is it? Who gets it? What causes it?

Source Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Alzheimer’s Disease

What is it?

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of a condition called dementia. Dementia is a general decline in mental ability, such as memory, language skills, judgment, and concentration. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, which means symptoms occur gradually and become worse over time. It is named for the German doctor who first described it, Alois Alzheimer.

Who gets it?

Alzheimer’s disease affects most commonly affects those over the age of 65, although it has been diagnosed in people in their 40s and 50s.

What causes it?

The degeneration of parts of the brain, which destroys brain cells, causes the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. However, at this time researchers are not sure what causes this degeneration. Those with a family history of Alzheimer’s are more likely to develop the disease as they age, so there is a gene abnormality that causes the disease in some people. Researchers are looking for links between Alzheimer’s disease and the environment, lifestyle, nutrition, and viruses.

What are the symptoms?

Alzheimer’s usually progresses in three stages, with each lasting anywhere from one to several years. The first symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is usually mild forgetfulness. Someone in the early stages may find him or herself unable to find the right word, recall where something was placed, or recall someone’s name. It may be difficult to concentrate. At this point, symptoms are so general that they do not signal a serious problem or have a great impact on day-to-day functioning. As the disease progresses to the second stage, the forgetfulness becomes worse, making it difficult to function at work, remember directions, or to even make it through the day without difficulty. The person may be restless and unable to sleep at night. His or her personality may change considerably, with increasing anxiety and decreasing emotions. By the late stages of Alzheimer’s, patients suffer from extreme confusion and memory loss. They are unable to recall the names of close friends and family or recent events, and cannot function socially or perform basic daily personal care. Late-stage Alzheimer’s patients may have hallucinations and delusions.

How is it diagnosed?

Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed by taking a complete medical history and performing a thorough physical examination. Alzheimer’s is generally suspected when there is a gradual deterioration in mental ability. The doctor will perform tests, such as blood tests and brain scans, to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms. The doctor will also ask the patient a series of questions to test his or her mental status. One type of test of mental status is called neuropsychological testing, which is a standardized test of memory, concentration, and visual-spatial skills. Because a definite diagnosis can only be made by performing an autopsy after death, patients are diagnosed with “probable” Alzheimer’s. An autopsy of brain tissue, however, will show areas of abnormal tissue, called plaques, made up of abnormal proteins; a loss of nerve cells; and areas of tangles in the nerve cells that remain in patient’s with Alzheimer’s disease.

What is the treatment?

At this time, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Treatment focuses on maintaining the best possible quality of life for the patient by providing a supportive environment. Memory aids, such as calendars and other daily reminders of time and place, can help the patient feel more secure and reduce confusion. There are some medications that, when used in the early stages of this disease, can slow memory loss in some patients for a limited amount of time. However, these drugs are used with caution because of potential side effects. Other drugs may be prescribed to treat anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, and hallucinations, as necessary. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, it is important to help the patient maintain as much independence as possible. As the disease progresses, it may be necessary to seek the help of a home healthcare aid, an adult daycare, or nursing home. While there is currently no treatment to prevent or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s, researchers are continuing to study this disease and test new drugs. There is a possibility that certain types of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Self-care tips

A diagnosis of probable Alzheimer’s is devastating for someone who has been accustomed to living an independent life. It is important to provide the patient with emotional and physical support as he or she adjusts to living with this disease. Keeping the daily routine consistent and as stress free as possible is helpful. Because depression is so common in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, you should be aware of the signs of depression and seek help for the patient as soon as possible. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s can be demanding and discouraging, especially when the loved one does not remember who you are. Your doctor or local social services agency can direct you to support services to help make this time a little easier. Also seek legal advice so it is clear who has the power to make medical and financial decisions once your loved one is no longer able to do this for him or herself. If you have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, see your doctor for regular checkups. An early diagnosis is important, especially as the medical community learns more about this disease and its treatment. While there is no way to prevent this disease, you can lower your risk and protect yourself from many illnesses by following a healthy diet that is high in fiber and antioxidants and low in saturated fat, and participating in regular physical exercise. Performing activities that stimulate your brain on a regular basis, such as crossword puzzles, word searches, or memory games, may also help maintain mental ability longer.

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This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice.

The CareGiver Blog

Robert T DeMarco

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Americans Fear Alzheimer’s More Than Heart Disease, Diabetes or Stroke

A recent study by the MetLife Foundation found that Americans fear getting Alzheimer’s disease more than heart disease, stroke, or diabetes. Alzheimer’s ranks second in the minds of American’s only to cancer.

MetLife Survey Highlights

The Complete MetLife Survey on Alzheimer’s: What America Thinks (36 pages)

The Major Findings of the Study included the following:

Finding 1: Americans fear Alzheimer’s disease.

Finding 2: Americans Know Little or Nothing about Alzheimer’s.

Finding 3: One-third of Americans say they have direct experience with Alzheimer’s disease.

Finding 4: Most Americans are concerned that they will be responsible at some point for someone with Alzheimer’s disease.

Finding 5: Most Americans recognize the need to create a plan to address the possibility of Alzheimer’s disease, but very few have taken steps to do so.

Conclusion

Americans fear Alzheimer’s and the impact that it could have on their lives in the coming years. And although they may recognize the need to look toward the future, the majority hasn’t started making plans.

The downside of living longer has a high price: Nearly 50 percent of those who are 85 or older are affected, and the rate of Alzheimer’s increases exponentially every five years past the age of 65. And with the aging of America’s population these numbers are sure to become even more dramatic in the future, making it imperative that individuals and institutions plan for the future.

The growing number of people with Alzheimer’s will have an impact on every part of society. The vast majority of people know that this disease may someday affect them, either directly or as a caregiver. In addition, many already know a family member or friend who has Alzheimer’s. They strongly support the concept of planning now to cope with the life-changing impact of the
disease – at least in theory.

Despite widespread agreement, few have taken steps to prepare for the possibility of developing Alzheimer’s. Only a few have a solid understanding of the disease. The overwhelming majorityhas done nothing to plan.

The survey reveals a mismatch between fear of Alzheimer’s and acting on that fear to prepare for the future. The findings from this survey suggest that there is an opportunity to build awareness and help bridge the gaps that were identified in knowledge and behavior. Americans should learn all they can about the disease that will touch so many of us and plan for the future.

 

With Alzheimer’s, the Caregiver Is a Patient, Too

This is an interesting and thought provoking article that highlights the problems often effecting Alzheimer’s care giver’s.

With Alzheimer’s, the Caregiver Is a Patient, Too

Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia do not affect just the patient. These diseases gradually rob patients of memory and other intellectual abilities, leaving them unable to perform routine tasks. As the disease continues to destroy brain cells, patients increasingly depend on family members or others to carry out simple tasks like shopping and getting dressed. Ultimately, most patients will need complete care, adding to the caregiver’s burden.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting up to 4 million Americans – and untold millions of family members and others who care for them. Physicians now recognize that Alzheimer’s caregivers themselves often require care and attention, says Diana R. Kerwin, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology.

“What we’re seeing is that Alzheimer’s is not a typical disease model,” she says, “precisely because the health and well-being of the caretaker is affected as well as the patient. I know when I assume the care of an Alzheimer’s patient, I am also caring for the caregiver.”

Caregivers who accompany patients to the Froedtert Senior Health Program’s Geriatric Evaluation Clinic, where Dr. Kerwin practices, are screened for “caregiver stress” and see a gerontologic nurse and social worker who will answer their questions, provide information and help create a plan for care of the patient. Caregivers are given a kit with information about support groups and community services, including adult day care, home care agencies, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities and respite care.

Stress, Depression Are Common
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 80% of Alzheimer caregivers report that they frequently experience high levels of stress, and nearly half say they suffer from depression. It’s not difficult to see why.

The national Family Caregiver Alliance terms caregiver depression “one of today’s all-too-silent health crises.” The alliance estimates that caregiving spouses between the ages of 66 and 96 who are experiencing mental or emotional strain have a 63% higher risk of dying than people the same age who are not caregivers.

“Alzheimer’s causes progressive memory loss, and in the later stages patients can develop behavior problems,” Dr. Kerwin says. “It’s distressing for the caregiver to suddenly have to cope with their loved one’s anger, hallucinations, paranoia, aggression or inappropriate conduct in public. It’s upsetting when, as the disease progresses, the patient no longer recognizes the spouse or loved one.”

Caregivers often experience feelings of guilt, believing they are not doing enough to help, she adds. Spouses and adult children feel grief and loss, not unlike a death in the family – except that instead of being sudden, it’s spread out over years. Alzheimer’s is a progressively worsening disease, but the rate of progression from mild to advanced can vary widely, from three to 20 years. As Alzheimer’s progresses, the loss of brain function itself will cause death unless the patient has one or more other serious illness.

When the Child Becomes the Parent
For an adult child who cares for a parent with dementia, taking on the role of caregiver is a role reversal and takes some adjustment. “It can be a difficult transition for a child to take on the role of ‘parent’ and decision-maker,” Dr. Kerwin says. “The child often needs to be empowered to step in and begin caring for their ailing parent – making sure their parent takes his or her medication, for instance, or telling their parent they should not drive, and making difficult decisions about when the parent is no longer able to safely live alone.”

Those caregivers are often already juggling multiple responsibilities with their own spouses, children and careers. In some cases, adult-child caregivers with siblings feel resentful if they must bear the brunt of their parent’s care, Dr. Kerwin says. If the adult-child caregiver is the only sibling living in the same city as the parent he or she often feels isolated, overwhelmed and underappreciated.

And sometimes, whether the caregiver is a spouse or an adult sibling, out-of-town siblings or other family members who see the parent infrequently may think the caregiver is exaggerating the extent of the Alzheimer’s patient’s decline. The out-of-town family members may feel guilty about not being able to help from a distance, and when they do visit, they may criticize or ask to change the care their parent is receiving.

Caregivers are often fatigued from carrying out their new responsibilities, Dr. Kerwin says. “I see them neglecting their own health. It’s not unusual for caregivers to suffer not only depression but also higher levels of hypertension. We recommend they have annual physicals, during which they should be sure to tell their primary care physician that they are caregivers. We also recommend they participate in support groups and learn about the community resources available.”

Other concerns caregivers regularly express are loss of concentration due to their caregiving responsibilities and fear that they themselves might eventually get the disease.

Warning Signs for Caregivers What are some warning signs of caregiver stress? According to the Alzheimer’s Association, they include:

Anger
Anxiety
Denial
Depression
Exhaustion
Health problems
Irritability
Lack of concentration
Sleeplessness
Social withdrawal
Caregivers who regularly experience these conditions should seek help from their physician, says the Alzheimer’s Association.

Financial Strain Heightens Burden
In some families, the presence of Alzheimer’s disease also brings financial problems that can add to stress and depression. Caregivers sometimes give up paying jobs for the unpaid one of caring for a loved one. They often find additional responsibilities are thrust on them, such as overseeing medications for their patient, knowing if or when the patient’s care should be transferred to a nursing home, and taking on power of attorney duties along with living wills and advanced directives that specify whether terminal patients should undergo extreme measures to keep them alive.

The national Family Caregiver Alliance estimates that approximately 80% of the long-term care in the United States is provided without compensation, sometimes around the clock.

“The responsibilities are vast,” Dr. Kerwin notes. “It’s important for caregivers to regularly take some time for themselves, away from their caring responsibilities.”

Barbara Abel
HealthLink Contributing Writer

The Medical College’s Center for Healthy Communities, along with the local non-profit organization Community Care for the Elderly Partnership, has developed a Caring for Caregivers Program to support Medicaid- and Medicare-eligible residents in the community who care for frail relatives, often those with dementia. For more information, contact Tovah H. Bates, PhD, Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine, at 414-456-4305, or Community Care for the Elderly at 414-385-6600.

For more information on this topic, see the HealthLink articles End-Stage Alzheimer’s – the Long Goodbye and Current Research on Alzheimer’s, Memory Loss, and Aging.

Article Created: 2003-11-14
Article Reviewed: 2003-11-14

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