Smoking more than doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.A Kaiser Permanente studyæreported that an analysis of more than 20,000 men and women, studied since 1978, found a 157 percent heightened risk of Alzheimer’sæfor people who smoked two packs or more a day. For vascular dementia, which is the...
Author Archives: anthony
Eldercare Locator Beefed Up
Eldercare Locator, a free service under the U.S. Administration on Aging, has been around for two decades. It maintained a toll-free hotline for older adults and caregivers looking for information about resources with regards to aging. Eldercare Locator has upped its gane. The new call center allows callers to speak...
Hey Man – More Healing Powers of Marijuana
Smoked cannabis has been shown to alleviate chronic neuropathic pain caused by trauma or surgery. Researchers at McGill University Health Centre provided 21 participants aged 25 to 77 with cannabis of varying strengths. When inhaled in low doses three times a day, the stronger cannabisäóîcontaining 9.4% of the active ingredient...
End-of-life Care Could Depend on Physician’s Religion
A British suggests that the religious beliefs of your physician could impact the care you receive at the end of life. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London surveyed more than 3,700 United Kingdom physicians about their religious views, ethnicity and the care they give to dying patients. Those who...
‘Cross-talk’ in the Brain Slows Responses in Old Age
New research suggests that breakdowns in certain brain connections could be responsible for slowed physical reaction times as we age. Commonly known is that one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body. Researchers call this äóìCross-talk.” This is regulated by an area of the brain called...
A Guide for Families of People with Dementia Living in Care Facilities.
The Alzheimeräó»s Association-Greater Illinois Chapter is offering a free online resource, Encouraging Comfort Care: A Guide for Families of People with Dementia Living in Care Facilities. This 21-page booklet provides information to families and staff of long-term care facilities about Alzheimeräó»s disease and other dementias, particularly care issues related to...
New Definition for Alzheimers Suggested
An international group of dementia experts is proposing a change in the definition of Alzheimer’s disease.æ Members of the International Working Group for New Research Criteria for the Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease want to include recently discovered biomarkers in the diagnostic criteria for the disease, Reuters reported. Brain scans and...
Nursing Home Abuse Information
In 2007, 1.3 million elderly people lived in nursing homes. That same year, there were nearly 20 complaints of abuse reported per nursing home! It is critical that families and friends of the elderly be aware of the risk factors for abuse in nursing facilities. Bachus & Schanker, LLC has...
Abused Nursing Home Workers Develop Musculoskeletal Pain
Nursing home workers who suffer violent attacks from patients and visitors are significantly more likely to develop musculoskeletal pain. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health surveyed 920 employees with a variety of jobs at 12 nursing homes in Maine and Maryland. The average length of time each employee had spent...
Background Checks to be Funded in Six States
Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Missouri and Rhode Island will split the first round of the grant funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for creating comprehensive, streamlined background check systems for long-term care employees. Other states are expected to apply later this month. States will use the funding...