What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

In a nutshell, dementia is a symptom, and AD is the cause of the symptom. When someone is told they have dementia, it means that they have significant memory problems as well as other cognitive difficulties, and that these problems are severe enough to get in the way of daily living.....

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Too often, patients and their family members are told by their doctors that the patient has been diagnosed with “a little bit of dementia.” They leave the doctor’s visit with a feeling of relief that at least they don’t have Alzheimer’s disease (AD). There is great confusion about the difference between “dementia” and “AD.” The confusion is felt on the part of patients, family members, the media, and even healthcare providers. This article provides information to reduce the confusion by defining and describing these two common and often poorly understood terms.

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Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Human Growth Chart -- How Tall? How Big?

http://lookobvious.blogspot.com/2010/07/human-growth-chart-how...

Ever wonder how tall your child or teenager might be as an adult?

Original content Bob DeMarco, Look Beyond the Obvious

60 Minutes Medicare Fraud A $60 Billion Crime (Video and Transcript)

This story may raise your blood pressure, along with some troubling questions about our government's ability to manage a medical bureaucracy.

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Scammer Explains How Easy It Is To Steal Millions

60 Minutes Medicare Fraud A $60 Billion Crime is sure to make taxpayers irate.

A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis

Waste in Healthcare Spending Should be Issue Number One In Healthcare Insurance Reform

World Health Care Spending and Performance Ranking by Country (Table)

The price of excess: Identifying waste in healthcare spending

An Agenda for Change: Improving Quality and Curbing Health Care Spending: Opportunities for the Congress and the Obama Administration

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room Read more at www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

 

The Estrogen Dilemma

Should be of great interest to women.

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“Why did my primary-care physician give me an antidepressant when I could have had something simple, like estrogen?” she asked. “Why don’t they know?”....

“Sixty-eight percent of all victims of Alzheimer’s are women. Is it just because they live longer? Let’s say it is, for purposes of discussion. Let’s say it’s just because these ladies get old. Do we just say, ‘Who cares?’ and move them into a nursing home? Or alternatively, maybe they are telling us something.” -- Dr. Roberta Diaz Brinton

There is a great article in the New York Times magazine that I want to bring to the attention of women. Women that read this blog, their friends and children.

This article cuts across a broad spectrum of diseases, but is focused on hormones, estrogen and something called the timing hypothesis.

 

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

What is Alzheimer's? What are the Eight Types of Dementia?

http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/p/what-is-alzheimers-what...

Poll: Older Americans Perplexed by Health Care Law

Amplify’d from newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com

The National Council on Aging has released a poll showing that a majority of senior citizens are uninformed about the impact of the federal health care law on Medicare and Medicaid benefits.

The national survey of 636 men and women ages 65 and over, conducted by Harris Interactive for the council, which lobbied for the new law, were unaware that the new law gradually increases prescription drug coverage, does not cut basic Medicare benefits in the future, and provides for an annual wellness visit to a doctor paid for by Medicare. Read more at newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com

 

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Some insurers stopping new coverage for kids

Amplify’d from www.dailykos.com

Some major health insurance companies have stopped issuing certain types of policies for children, an unintended consequence of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, state officials said Friday. Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said in his state UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield have stopped issuing new policies that cover children individually. Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland said a couple of local insurers in her state have done likewise.... The major types of coverage for children — employer plans and government programs — are not be affected by the disruption. But a subset of policies — those that cover children as individuals — may run into problems. Even so, insurers are not canceling children's coverage already issued, but refusing to write new policies.

The Affordable Care Act requires that insurers cover kids, regardless of medical problems. This is one of the most important and most popular elements of the bill, and one that appears to have a loophole allowing insurers who carry policies that would cover children as individuals to just not offer them. Read more at www.dailykos.com

 

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Some insurers stopping new coverage for kids

Amplify’d from www.dailykos.com

Some major health insurance companies have stopped issuing certain types of policies for children, an unintended consequence of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, state officials said Friday. Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said in his state UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield have stopped issuing new policies that cover children individually. Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland said a couple of local insurers in her state have done likewise.... The major types of coverage for children — employer plans and government programs — are not be affected by the disruption. But a subset of policies — those that cover children as individuals — may run into problems. Even so, insurers are not canceling children's coverage already issued, but refusing to write new policies.

The Affordable Care Act requires that insurers cover kids, regardless of medical problems. This is one of the most important and most popular elements of the bill, and one that appears to have a loophole allowing insurers who carry policies that would cover children as individuals to just not offer them. Read more at www.dailykos.com

 

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Untitled

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Like everyone in the Alzheimer's community, I believe we need more funding for Alzheimer's research. We need to investigate all legitimate hypotheses. We need to do it now.....

Most invention and breakthroughs in science are accompanied by what is later described as "a sudden flash of genius." I have always imagined that this is what will happen when an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease is discovered.

This discovery gave birth to the amyloid hypothesis, which holds that the accumulation of amyloid plaque in the brain slowly destroys brain cells.

“It means you don’t want to hit A-beta with a sledgehammer,” Dr. Tanzi said. “It says what we need is the equivalent of a statin for the brain so you can dial it down but not turn it off.”

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading RoomRead more at www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

 

Alzheimer's Disease Who Suffers?

Comment, reacti

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Your thoughts and reaction?....

"She and her family suffered with the disease for seven years after the initial diagnosis. Had we known earlier, everyone would have suffered even longer".

Your thoughts and reaction to Mr Eisen's words? Use the comments box below the article.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

 

Gene SIRT1 Linked to Aging also Linked to Alzheimer’s

MIT biologists report that they have discovered the first link between the amyloid plaques that form in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and a gene previously implicated in the aging process, SIRT1....

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Eisai and Pfizer Announce FDA Approval for New Higher-Dose Aricept Tablet for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe

Specific to moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.

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Eisai Inc. and Pfizer Inc [NYSE: PFE] announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new once-daily, higher-dose Aricept (donepezil HCl) 23 mg tablet for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aricept 23 mg tablet offers another dosing option for patients with moderate-to-severe AD, for whom few treatments are available.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's A Sudden Flash of Genius?

Complete article on the website by following the link.

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Like everyone in the Alzheimer's community, I believe we need more funding for Alzheimer's research. We need to investigate all legitimate hypotheses. We need to do it now.....

Most invention and breakthroughs in science are accompanied by what is later described as "a sudden flash of genius." I have always imagined that this is what will happen when an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease is discovered.

Rudy Tanzi is a professor of neurology and director of the genetics and aging unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. After having a beer with his buddies, Dr. Tanzi went back to his office and looked at his list of genes associated with Alzheimer's disease. He noticed that many of the genes looked like genes associated with the so-called innate immune system.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room Read more at www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

 

Alzheimer’s Caregiver You Are Not Alone (Cinch Cast)

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Over time, I came to believe that these feelings are more then just an idea. Knowing that you are not alone is one of the first steps to reaching that place deep inside you that often lies dormant. It is a spiritual place. Alzheimer’s caregiving unleashes a heightened sense of the world around you -- you become connected.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room Click above to Listen. You are welcome to recommend, share, or embed this audio on to your website. Read more at www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

 

Round Two of BP Litigation: The Clean-Up Suits Begin

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ust when you thought that with the numerous personal injury, economic harm, shareholder, RICO and all other manner of suits tied to the Gulf oil spill, there couldn’t

Just when you thought that with the numerous personal injury, economic harm, shareholder, RICO and all other manner of suits tied to the Gulf oil spill, there couldn’t possibly be another angle to get at this litigation, think again.

Round two of the suits, post-spill, has arrived.

Louisiana fisherman John Wunstell, Jr., has filed suit seeking class action status in state court in New Orleans against BP and calling for a court-monitored health monitoring program for volunteers and workers who say they have been exposed to the oil, fumes and other chemicals while cleaning up the spill. Click here for the complaint.

Wunstell, Jr. was hospitalized in late May for illnesses caused by the use of chemical dispersants, according to a news release from his attorney Stephen Herman. (Wunstell is being represented by Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar of New Orleans and Domengeaux, Wright, Roy & Edwards of Lafayette.)

In the suit, Wunstell says that he and others now suffer new risks of contracting lung cancer, esophageal cancer and leukemia because they didn’t have proper respiratory protection during the clean up. His suit says many diseases from toxic exposure are chronic in nature and take years to develop (sound familiar, fans of asbestos suits?), and monitoring will help prevent the development of disease.

Wunstell’s boat, Ramie’s Wish was assigned to the burn team and his assignment was to use containment equipment to gather the leaking oil, burn it at the surface and then observe the burning oil, gasses and other chemicals. He said companies that BP contracted with didn’t give him proper respiratory gear to filter out the bad stuff and that his boat was not cleaned of toxins as promised. He’s suffered headaches, nausea, chest pain, nose irritation and other illnesses.

BP did not immediately return a request for comment. Read more at blogs.wsj.com

 

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About the Alzheimer's Reading Room (Audio)

The Alzheimer's Reading Room has clear, concise, usable news, research, insight and advice for the entire Alzheimer's community.

100 Million Americans have been touched by Alzheimer's Disease, 35 million are worried about Alzheimer's Disease.

Click above to Listen. You are welcome to recommend, share, or embed this audio on to your website.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Dementia -- Poem

http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2010/01/dementia-poem.html

Turning true-blue loyal friends into treacherous strangers.....

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What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

Often misunderstood. Great explanation.

Amplify’d from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

In a nutshell, dementia is a symptom, and AD is the cause of the symptom. When someone is told they have dementia, it means that they have significant memory problems as well as other cognitive difficulties, and that these problems are severe enough to get in the way of daily living.....

See more at www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

 

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I Have Alzheimer's -- Richard Taylor (Video)

Important insight.

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Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading RoomRead more at www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

 

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Working Toward a Cure for Alzheimer's: Clues from our Genes -- Live Online

Dr. Tanzi is at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and will be discussing his recent work on how genes and how this research could lead to the cure for Alzheimer's disease.



Dr. Tanzi has identified several Alzheimer's disease genes, including the first Alzheimer's gene, the beta-amyloid protein precursor. His work in the Alzheimer's Genome Project, a Cure Alzheimer's Fund supported project, was recognized by TIME magazine as one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs of 2008.

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This live presentation by Dr. Rudy Tanzi will be conducted over the Internet. You can participant through your own computer and headset or phone. This webinar is open to readers of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. Your participation is wanted and welcomed. You can ask a question or simply listen....

This is a reminder about the live webinar that is being held on Thursday, July 22, 2010, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT. In order to participate you must register in advance to your receive your entry code.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading RoomRead more at www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

 

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The Alzheimer's Bus STOP

When they start telling you they want to go home, or they want to move somewhere, I am telling you now, if they are capable of wandering they are going to go for it.

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com Persons suffering from Alzheimer's go missing all the time. Even from nursing homes and hospitals. Sound crazy? How about 78 year old Roger Mattoon who lived in Denver, Colorado. Roger walked down the street to the local bus. Took the bus to the Greyhound station. They found him wandering around aimlessly in San Diego, California three days later. Yes Roger suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Roger was discovered after he fell down, injured his head, and was rushed to the Hospital via ambulance. Fortunately, he had his Veterans Affairs identification card in his pocket and had been reported as missing. Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Jan's Story: A Love Lost to Alzheimer's (Video)

By Bob DeMarco

Finally, when her anger and confusion were slipping out of our control, I moved her into an assisted-living facility, where on each painful visit I see the changes as she disappears a little more.

A friend calls it grieving, like saying goodbye by going to the same funeral over and over again.

"It's really challenging to grieve someone that's sitting right in front of you," said Kallmyer. "It's really challenging to grieve someone that you've just helped take a bath and get them dressed."

"Because it's such a long process and a long road that a family travels down together, it changes family dynamics," said Pring. "And it takes away all our preconceived notions about how families should look and how they should function."

"I know that he will always be in my life," Jan said.