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Alzheimer’s Disease Explained in Video

admin — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:19:16 +0000

Here is a short 3 minute video that helps explain the process of Alzheimer’s Disease.

You can watch the video at http://alzheimersawareness.net/understanding-alzheimers-in-three-minutes/#KzUOgAZCM1GRhlIh.01

As a Michigan elder law attorney who helps many of my clients navigate the long-term care maze involving transitioning from home care, to assisted living, to memory care, to nursing home care, I know the devastating effect a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can have on a family and the catastrophic cost of long-term care.

Christopher J. Berry is a Michigan Alzheimer’s Planning planning lawyer and Medicaid planning attorney dedicated to helping seniors, veterans and their families navigate the long-term care maze. To learn more visit http://www.theeldercarefirm.com/ or call 248.481.4000

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Americans Discovering Their Parent’s Dementia Over the Holidays

admin — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 19:42:39 +0000

A recent report has revealed that thousands of Americans are likely to first recognize signs of their parents’ dementia while visiting with them during the holidays.

“Shortly after arriving home from the airport, an estimated tens of thousands of adults will invariably witness one or both parents forget something that just happened, misremember details of their lives that have been discussed hundreds of times before, or momentarily lose track of what they were doing right in the middle of an action,” lead author Dr. Tim Belarde wrote in the report.

Furthermore, the report identified that 80 percent will witness their parents record inaccurate information on a calendar, 65 percent will experience their mothers reference an event from childhood that never occurred, and half will witness their father confusing siblings’ names.

“For the remainder of their vacations, these Americans will spend hours carefully observing their parents for further signs of mental decline and then convince themselves that any brain lapses were anomalies due to the stress of the holidays, ultimately leaving with dozens of unsettling memories they will repress in an effort to deny the inevitable.”

Sources reported that an estimated 40,000 mothers (at press time) had recently asked their children to send their flight itineraries for the fourth time.

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Late-Stage Alzheimer’s and Caregiver Expectations

admin — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 01:10:19 +0000

Comfort is ultimately the most important factor during late-stage Alzheimer’s

By Chris Berry

During the late-stages of Alzheimer’s communication becomes a major issue. Even when you talk slowly and calmly, it is common for the person suffering from late-stage Alzheimer’s to not understand what you are saying. Despite not understanding what you say, they will be able to “feel” sentimental acts like a massage, brushing their hair, a hug, or other pleasurable touching.

Be attentive to expressions like a frown, or grimace or groan because they can still feel pain. Many months of caregiving will enable you to better sense when they feel pain, and how to best avoid it.

Eating also becomes extremely difficult during late-stage Alzheimer’s. Believe it or not, people in these stages can eventually forget how to swallow. Knowing this, try softer, pureed foods. Milkshakes and smoothies are a great solution. Always allow them to take their time to ensure that they don’t choke while eating.

Another common characteristic of those suffering from late-stage Alzheimer’s, is to be bedridden. If they are unable to turn themselves over, it is critical to turn them over frequently to avoid bed sores and comfort them.

It is likely that they will also need to be bathed and fed during this stage of Alzheimer’s. Due to their inability to communicate, it is imperative that this type of care is administered without request.

Alzheimer’s is a slippery slope, as a result, comfort becomes the most important factor during this stage of Alzheimer’s. Music is often soothing. Soft, fluffy pillows and blankets can comfort, while warming socks can help ensure sound sleep.

Lastly, be sure to encourage friends and family to visit frequently and in small numbers to deter loneliness.

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Alzheimer’s Disease and the Case For Copper

admin — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 11:40:41 +0000

A new study from the University of Rochester Medical Center has found that the amount of copper which is naturally found in food, drinking water, and in over-the-counter vitamins may contribute to the inflammation of the brain that seems to cause Alzheimer’s disease.

According to researchers, even small amounts of copper may adversely affect the barrier to the brain which protects it from toxins. Copper seems also to contribute to beta-amyloid production and block proteins from removing it from the brain. Beta-amyloid is one component of amyloid plaque; amyloid plaque is also a contributing factor for the development of Alzheimer’s.

Inflammation in the brain can cause significant brain cell damage. It is believed that a buildup in the brain of copper may trigger inflammation, triggering Alzheimer’s. Researchers are currently working on binding copper molecules to remove them from the body, while leaving a healthy amount of naturally-occurring copper in place.

Copper is naturally found in foods such as nuts, red meat and shellfish, and in numerous fruits and vegetables.

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Late-Stage Alzheimer’s and What to Expect

admin — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 14:36:47 +0000

Later-stages of Alzheimer’s will reveal an inability to socialize and exercise proper judgement.

By Chris Berry

During the later-stages of Alzheimer’s, the disease shifts to the frontal lobes of the brain. Once this area is damaged, the individual no longer retains the ability to properly interact. As a result, it becomes very difficult for the caregiver to care for the individual suffering from Alzheimer’s, causing many to put the person in a nursing home.

Loss of judgement, reasoning, and social skills are typical during the last state of Alzheimer’s. An individual’s behavior will frequently be inappropriate and at times, angry. Also common to people during late-stages of Alzheimer’s is violence, apathy or immobility. Each person may behave differently, most of the brain functions of the frontal lobes are involved by the late-stage.

It is common to be bedridden by the late-stage of Alzheimer’s. However, even if they are not confined to a bed, it is very unlikely that he or she will be socially active. Those with late-stage Alzheimer’s tend to remove themselves from social interaction, and sleep more. This often is a result of their displaced sense of identity.

Lacking social etiquette and proper judgement, their actions frequently embarrass or result in their ridicule when forced into an unfamiliar situation. It is better to avoid social activities like birthdays or parties or family gatherings where a lot of people are involved.

An individual suffering from late-stage Alzheimer’s or Dementia is unable to show sound judgement or reasoning. Also, he or she will lose the ability to act in their own best-interest. Their wishes must be carried out by way of documents that were prepared during earlier stages of Alzheimer’s. These documents include Power of Attorney, Medical Power of Attorney and a Living Will, which must be signed before this stage is reached. Caregivers are left with the responsibility of making most major decisions.

Before this stage is reached it’s imperative to know about their housing, finances, insurance and other financial matters.

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The Metabolic Cerebral Imaging in Incipient Dementia study

admin — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 17:59:45 +0000

By Chris Berry

The Metabolic Cerebral Imaging in Incipient Dementia study is an ongoing nationwide clinical study sponsored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Data revealed that patients with doctors who gleaned information from a brain PET scan fared better over a two-year-period than those whose doctors were randomized to not have access to the scan information.

“The patients whose doctors were made aware of the Alzheimer’s Disease metabolic pattern in their brains received Alzheimer’s therapies sooner, and did better than patients whose doctors did not have the benefit of that information,” said study principal investigator Daniel Silverman, a UCLA professor of molecular and medical pharmacology. “During the subsequent two years after their PET scans, these patients had superior executive function, better memory abilities and greater preservation of overall cognitive function, providing the first direct evidence that patients whose early Alzheimer’s disease is revealed by FDG-PET will do better than patients with the same condition, but with their brain metabolism pattern remaining unknown to their doctors and themselves.”

Findings from the study are being presented Sept. 26 at the Medical Biotech Forum in China. Currently, Medicare does not reimburse for PET scans for patients showing signs of an active cognitive decline, but who do not yet have dementia, Silverman said.

Medicare is reexamining policies for PET scans in dementia cases. A national coverage decision is expected Oct. 1. There has been no previous controlled scientific evidence available that tested the long-term clinical benefit as a result of a PET scan, or any other neuroimaging when evaluating cognitively declining patients.

This study has revealed major clinical benefit with the potential to save healthcare dollars.

“Patients who don’t have Alzheimer’s disease may be prescribed drugs that won’t help them, or even make them worse,” Silverman said. “And each year of taking these medications costs hundreds of dollars more than the reimbursement for a PET scan would.”

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Your Long-Term Care Insurance Company Can Fail

admin — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 01:22:24 +0000

Long-term care insurance is a typically a smart purchase; odds are, you will live long enough to need at least some form of nursing care in your later years. But when you purchase long-term care insurance, you do so hoping that the policy will still be active years down the road. Do you know what to do if that company folds?

When an insurance company gets into trouble or is sold, it is usually absorbed by a larger company, one that continues to honor the old company’s policies. And in Michigan, we have an insurance guaranty association which is designed to protect you, the consumer.

The guaranty association is in place to ensure that claims are paid; it may also provide any insurance coverage directly to the consumer, or allow policyholders to cash in their policies, or may oversee the sale of the insurance policies from the failed company to a new insurance company.

But, Michigan’s state guaranty association can only provide coverage up to a certain amount. If you paid in more than Michigan’s cap, that money will be lost to you. Though long-term care insurance failure is rare, it does happen. More likely, you may miss premium payments and lose your policy.

What are your other options? Get in touch with the elder care firm of Christopher J. Berry. Let’s discuss how to ensure you have a safe future.

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Preventing Alzheimer’s

admin — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 19:30:58 +0000

A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that levels of blood sugar directly relate to risk for dementia. After investigating over 2,000 elderly individuals for an average of 6.8 years they discovered that even small elevations of blood sugar translated into a significant increased risk for dementia, even for those without diabetes.

This profound discovery goes great length in terms of defining an at risk population for an incurable brain disorder. But even with the potential impact on public health, these findings received close to no media attention.

The United States has been granted the distinction of ranking first in terms of increased number of deaths from neurological diseases including dementia. Prof. Colin Pritchard and colleagues from Britain’s Bournemouth University evaluated causes of death in the 10 largest Western countries between 1979 and 2010. During that period, deaths in America related to brain conditions rose a shocking 66% in men and 92% in women.

In a recent RAND study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, costs for dementia care in 2010 were estimated to be as high as $200 billion, roughly twice that expended for heart disease and nearly triple what was spent on treating cancer patients.

In America, there are currently 5.4 million Alzheimer’s disease patients, a number that is expected to double by 2030. These shocking statistics offer motivation for pharmaceutical companies to develop drug strategies to cure or at least slow the inexorable mental decline characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. With that said, the most recent and promising drug treatment for Alzheimer’s disease failed to deter the disease and worsened functional ability while increasing the risk for infection and skin cancers.

Research indicates that up to 54% of Alzheimer’s cases in the U.S. could have been avoided if proper attention was given to various modifiable lifestyle factors, including diet and physical activity, as published in the journal The Lancet Neurology.

Mayo Clinic researchers indicate that risk for mild cognitive impairment, the harbinger for Alzheimer’s disease, or full-blown dementia is an astounding 42% lower in elderly folks who consume a diet higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates.

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Alzheimer’s Disease: What To Look For

admin — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:27:51 +0000

The numbers are hard to read: One out of eight Americans 65 years of age and older have Alzheimer’s disease. For 85 year olds and older, 43 percent of them have Alzheimer’s. In the U.S., Alzheimer’s develops in someone, on average, every 69 seconds.

But again and again, I see clients and family members who are hesitant to even consider the disease as a reason to ensure estate planning and long-term care is in place. Alzheimer’s disease is not an easy condition to contemplate for ourselves or for our loved one in the future, but it’s made much worse without compassionate care and financial security in place.

What are some of the early signs that indicate there may be an issue?

Trouble with previously routine tasks like balancing a checkbook or following a multi-step task
Increased forgetfulness, like missing bill payments
Increased cognitive impairment, like putting things away in odd places or forgetting names or places
Decreased personal hygiene
Signs of depression and isolation<

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These signs are all red flags. They may not mean anything serious, or they may indicate that something more is going on. The first step is a cognitive assessment by a physician, but you should also take steps to ensure finances are also in place before more damage can be done.

Work with an experienced estate planning attorney to make sure all the proper documents have been secured, any will is up-to-date, a living will is put into place and long term care plans are clarified.

Alzheimer’s Disease: What To Look For

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