You Learn Something New Every Day as an Alzheimer's Caregiver

You learn something new almost every day when you are an Alzheimer's caregiver. This happens because there is so much to learn and you can't learn it all at once.

By +Bob DeMarco
+Alzheimer's Reading Room 

For me, part of the process of becoming an effective Alzheimer's caregiver occurred because I learned, over and over, that my mother, Dotty, was capable of more than I could imagine. She constantly surprised me by what she could do.

The first time I realized that Dotty was capable of more than I could imagine happened when I took her into the gym for the first time when she was 88 years old.Imagine, Dotty had never been in a gym in her life before we started exercising together.

I learned Dotty was capable of more when she started working out on the exercise machines. This first happened when Dotty jumped on an exercise machine and started doing a chest exercise. She did this oh her own while I was talking to someone.

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Alzheimer's, Dementia, and the Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia

There is great confusion about the difference between “dementia” and “Alzheimer's disease.” The confusion is felt on the part of patients, family members, the media, and even healthcare providers.

What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

In a nutshell, dementia is a symptom, and Alzheimer's disease 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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Dotty Says, Most Doctors are Quacks

We gotta stop watching that Dr Oz show. If they put Dr Oz and Bobby in the same room all they would talk about is poop.

By Dorothy DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Bobby says, I am a lovable character. I also heard him say that I am a "bitch". I have to admit I don't remember him saying that in a long time.

I guess I feel the same way about Bobby. Bobby is a good son. Bobby is also a "pain in the ass sometimes".

Alzheimer's Reading July 11

A year ago on the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

Short Mental Exercises May Slow Decline of Aging Minds
Older adults who did the basic exercises followed by later sessions were three times as fast as those who got only the initial sessions when it came to activities of daily living, such as reacting to a road sign, looking up a number in a telephone book or checking the ingredients on a medicine bottle -- abilities that can spell the difference between living independently and needing help.
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Lifestyle Factors Contribute to Lowering and Raising Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

• Unmarried status in mid-life and heart disease factors may increase Alzheimer's risk.
• Repeatedly thinking about problems may reduce Alzheimer's risk.
• Metabolic Syndrome May Lead to Cognitive Decline.

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Abnormal Thyroid Levels Can Increase Risk For Alzheimer’s Disease in Women
Thyroid disease, resulting from either low or high thyrotropin levels, has been found to be associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease in women
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PBS The Forgotten DVD
"The Forgetting" did a beautiful and honest job of capturing those thoughts and feelings and emotions that the loved ones face through the long, slow course of this disease.

As an elder law attorney who deals with dementia and Alzheimer's on a daily basis I strongly recommend this dvd. It is a sobering and realistic insight into what is coming next in your journey as a caretaker. It is so valuable in fact, that I have several copies that I keep to loan out to clients. If you are dealing with the issue of Alzheimer's disease, you must see this dvd.


The Forgetting - A Portrait of Alzheimer's

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Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

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