Day 8 - Remember Dementia In November

#RememberDementiaInNovember

Day 8 (11/10) – #Savasana or #CorpsePose by @nicole_rn (Nicole)

! This helps to calm and relax the mind and body; relieves stress; reduces headaches, fatigue, and insomnia; and can help to lower blood pressure.

#DementiaAwareness – Resources for Caregivers and Loved Ones

My sponsor related items are: on my right wrist is a beautifully crafted #hematite and #lapislazuli bracelet from @malas_by_lifeofayogiwithptsd and #malanecklace then on my left wrist there is a lovely bracelet from @dazzle.dream and in the background, I have some other items from our fabulous list of sponsors.  And as always I am on my @liforme #yogamat (they are not a sponsor, but I adore this mat!!)

Thank you all so much for participating in this very important yoga challenge that helped to raise awareness and shine some light on dementia.  I am so grateful for the wonderful and positive response to this challenge.  Your stories and compassion have touched my heart.  This was my second challenge that I wanted to host…I had a wish list of causes I wanted to bring awareness to, and as many of you know, the first one was about ovarian cancer because I lost my momma only 4 days after she was diagnosed.  Dementia and Alzheimer’s also are a part of my life and my friend’s and I felt an immediate need to get this one together.  With the help of my amazing co-hosts and great sponsors, it was a success!! I have plans for a few more coming up in 2017, so be on the lookout for those!  Together, all of you participating, the hosts and the sponsors made a difference!! That is a great feeling & one that I hope everyone shares!  My heart & thoughts are with each of you who have been touched by dementia in anyway.  Please remember that there are others out there who care.  Thank you again to everyone for helping to spread awareness for dementia!  I hope to see many of you in my next challenge.  With a heart full of gratitude and love, Namaste. LindaLee 

I will have all the information from this challenge/each day posted on my blog page so you can refer to it whenever you need to.  There will be an IG post soon when everything is loaded.

AWARENESS

 

Day 8 – Resources for Caregivers

Luckily, in this age of technology, we have instant access via the internet to many resources and here is a list of ones that loved ones and caregivers may find helpful:

AARP Caregiving:  www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 402).

ADEAR (Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral):  www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers

This website has a downloadable book entitled Alzheimer’s Disease Unraveling the Mystery along with the ability to connect with an ADEAR expert by email or toll-free 800-438-4380 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time) (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 402).

Alzheimer’s Association:  www.alz.org

Resources are available in the following languages:  Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 402).

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Online:  www.alzonline.net

This is site is sponsored by the University of Florida providing a wealth of information related to caregiving (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 402).

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America:  www.alzfdn.org (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 403).

Benefitscheckup.org:  www.benefitscheckup.org

This program is for adults aged 55 years and older, provided by the National Council on Aging.  Adults looking for help can go online to find “programs that may pay part or all of their cost for prescription drugs, healthcare, utilities, and other services” (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 403).

Caregiver.com:  www.caregiver.com (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 403).

Caregiver Action Network:  http://caregiveraction.org

This was previously known as the National Family Caregivers Association (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 403).

Family Caregiver Alliance:  www.caregiver.org

There is an online support area, along with past and present webinars for caregivers to view

(American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 404).

Leeza’s Care Connection:  www.leezacareconnection.org

This site was created by Leeza Gibbons, a well-known American television talk show host.  Her mother had Alzheimer’s Disease and she wanted a place where people could access information and resources that weren’t readily available to her.  There are even daily mantras to help people cope (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 404).

The National Institutes of Health and the United States National Library of Medicine:

www.medlineplus.gov

This website is very well maintained and updated and includes a host of health issues besides dementia and AD (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 404).

Needymeds.com:  www.needymeds.com

This site helps older Americans find resources to help pay for medications when they cannot afford them through scholarships and other programs.  “Programs are available for all three widely used AD medications, including brand name Aricept, Exelon, and Reminyl” (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, pp. 404-405).

A book recommended is The 36 Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer’s Disease, related dementias, and Memory Loss by Nancy L. Mace, MA, and Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH (published by Grand Central Life & Style).  Originally published in 1981 and now in its fifth edition, this book remains the go-to-reference for lay people on the subject of memory loss (American Geriatrics Society, 2016, p. 405).

Some other useful websites for other countries are:

Alzheimer Society of Canada:  http://www.alzheimer.ca/en

Toll-free phone number:  800-616-8816

Email:  info@alzheimer.ca

Alzheimer’s Association in Canada:  http://www.alz.org/ca/dementia-alzheimers-canada.asp 

Canadian Home Care Association:  http://www.cdnhomecare.ca/content.php?doc=276 

Alzheimer’s Australia National:  https://www.fightdementia.org.au/

National Dementia Helpline Toll-free phone number:  1800-100-500

Email:  helpline.nat@alzheimers.org.au

Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation (AADRF): http://dementiaresearchfoundation.org.au/

Alzheimer’s Society UK:  https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Helpline phone number:  0300 222 11 22

Alzheimer’s Association in the UK:  http://www.alz.org/uk/dementia-alzheimers-uk.asp

NHS Choices UK:  http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Alzheimers-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI):  https://www.alz.co.uk/

Additional resources:

Tara Reed has a website:  http://pivottohappy.com/

She also has a book, A Practical Guide to Dealing with a Dementia or Alzheimer’s Diagnosis in the Family.  The book can be ordered through Amazon or you can purchase an eBook for $4.97 (USD) 

(Price available at time of post).

Celia Koudele has a website:  http://alzheimerscaregivers.info

She also has a book, The Little Book for Alzheimer’s Caregivers.  The book can be ordered through her website and an eBook is also available for $3.99 (USD) (Price available at time of post).

Joshua Huggett researches Alzheimer’s and how it pertains to relationships and interactions, his eBook (eKindle price is $3.99 USD; Price available at time of post) can be found here: www.conqueringalzheimers.com.au

Obviously, this list of resources is not complete, but it is a great place to start if you are just looking to find more information, see what doctors are available in your area, find support groups, etc.  My hope is that one day, very soon, there will be a cure for dementia and all the diseases associated with it. Until then, if you or a loved one is suspected or diagnosed with dementia…reach out to these organizations and get to connected to local resources.  Being proactive about a situation can help you feel in control, so please keep this list available or remember that there are places available and willing to help.

References

American Geriatrics Society (AGS). (2016). Alzheimer's & dementia for dummies. Hoboken, NJ:

           John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (Published simultaneously in Canada)

Day 7 - Remember Dementia In November

 

#RememberDementiaInNovember

Day 7 (11/9) – #ViparitaKarani or #LegsUpTheWallPose by @stephieyogini (Steph)

! This helps to balance both hemispheres of the brain and the third eye chakra, it also helps to circulate your blood more efficiently and calms the mind.

#DementiaAwareness – Myths in the Media (Click on link in my bio)

See @nicole_rn (Nicole) for Day 8’s (Thursday, 11/10) pose tomorrow night…it is our LAST day of the challenge!  I have been looking at everyone’s poses and their insightful comments, along with the heartbreaking stories that sadly go along with dementia.  I am so honored to have such a kindhearted group of yogis who are participating in this challenge; you all have been so loving and respectful.  I knew the group of yogis I was cohosting with were wonderful and compassionate people…so it is nice to see that also reflected in the people helping us spread awareness in this challenge. Also, a big thank you to the generous and caring sponsors as well, everyone has their heart in the right place and it is such a joy to witness!! 

AWARENESS

Day 7 – Myths in the Media

The Canadian Review of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias listed myths that were/are perpetrated in the media:

Myth 1 – Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a normal part of aging.  AD is not a normal part of aging, while there is a change in cognition when people age it is a slow decline.  Sadly, many physicians will just brush off problems with memory and related issues because of the age of a patient.

Patients with AD have a much sharper decline, losing two to four points on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) over a one year-period.  By dispelling the myth “it is just normal aging”, we become less dismissive and monitor cognitive scores more closely to see if the decline is gradual or rapid in our patients.  If the patient has a rapid decline, we can determine it is not normal aging, diagnose AD and propose treatment at an earlier stage, leading to an improved preservation of cognition and function (Lin, 2010, pp. 23-24).

Myth 2 – Mercury dental fillings and flu vaccinations cause AD.  Cavities filled with mercury were thought to be a cause of AD because of the heavy metal’s bad reputation for having ill effects on the body, specifically the brain.  With the media hype, many patients and dentists wanted the mercury removed and replaced, but this only increased the release of the mercury.  The American Dental Association (ADA) feels that mercury fillings are safe and do not cause AD. Even those working in the dental industry and are around mercury, therefore they have greater levels, do not show a connection to AD incidence (Lin, 2010, p. 24).

There was media coverage that flu vaccinations were a cause for AD because of a preservative used, which contained mercury.  The fact that many older adults (65 years and older) get the flu vaccination also happens to be when some display symptoms of AD.  

However, in 2001, as part of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, 3,682 patients were assessed with regards to previous vaccinations and AD.  The investigators studied previous exposures to diphtheria, tetanus, polio and  influenza vaccines, and did not find an increase in AD.  Rather, there was a reduction in AD rates in patients who had had these vaccinations. Also, in the Netherlands, 26,071 patients older than 65 years of age were studied to determine the effect of influenza vaccines on death.  The results showed that for patients who had regular vaccines, there was a 24% reduction in mortality.  According to the results of these studies we can ascertain that the flu vaccine does not seem to cause AD, but is helpful in preventing deaths (Lin, 2010, p. 24). 

Myth 3 – That aluminum causes AD; this was started after research completed in 1975 on rabbit brains showed neurofibrillary tangles, thought to be the same type found on autopsy of AD patients. People stopped using aluminum foil and pots because of the fear spread by the media.  Further research using nuclear microscopy tests revealed iron, phosphorus and sulfur not aluminum (Lin, 2010, p. 24).

Myth 4 – No family members have AD, I will not get it. Familial AD (FAD).  The opposite is also asked, if my parent has it…will I get it?  FAD is typically found in 5% of all cases of AD, and usually happens early.  There is a higher risk of developing AD if a “first degree relative” has AD, but that is not considered FAD (Lin, 2010, p. 25).

Myth 5 – There aren’t any treatments or cure.  While there is no cure, there are different medications that can be beneficial to some patients with AD that help slow the progression of the disease (Lin, 2010, pp. 25-26).

Myth 6 – Since there isn’t a cure, why is there a need to make a diagnosis?  Chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension also do not have a cure, but treating them is important.  It is important for an AD patient to be diagnosed since there are many facets to manage, such as medications, personal and home safety, reducing risk of accidents and hospitalizations, and end-of-life matters (Lin, 2010, p. 26).  Treating the whole patient and making sure all their needs are met medically, socially, emotionally…along with their caretakers and loved ones ensures the best outcome.

Myth 7 – The latest medications have all failed.  When new medications do not meet the anticipated outcomes, it is often seen as a failure. 

Each negative trial, however, allows us to strike off that particular strategy and to hone in on alternative strategies, giving us insight into areas that may be more successful.  For example, there is now hope testing oxidative stress pathways and insulin resistance in the brain. Failures are not true failures, but necessary steps on the path to discovering treatments. Unfortunately, human clinical trials take a long time to complete.  Ideally, the efforts in the AD field should be doubled to investigate the possibilities at a faster pace (Lin, 2010, p. 26).

References

Lin, P. (2010). Myths in the Media. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other

Dementias, 23-26. Retrieved from http://www.stacommunications.com/customcomm/Back-            issue_pages/AD_Review/adPDFs/2010/October2010/23.pdf