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Many patients with cognitive impairment have anxiety or depression, but standard treatments are difficult for people with memory issues.  A recent article published in the New York Times reports on this complicated issue.   Early research on new approaches to treat depression in people with early to moderate dementia is promising.  One such approach developed […]

And this year’s theme, “Caregiving Around the Clock,” a time to recognize, support, and empower family caregivers. It’s easy to feel isolated or stressed as a family caregiver at times. Many caregivers say they have difficulty balancing providing care for a loved one on top of meeting the demands of work and family. That’s why

NPR Morning Edition aired a segment this morning interviewing Ted Rall, a political cartoonist who created a cartoon series about his mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s.  The cartoons are sweet and sad but more important, they offer another way to help us understand the difficult journey families undergo when faced with this devastating illness.  To visit

Far too many dementia clients have vivid ideas and desires but are unable to express them verbally. For the millions of Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, communication is a challenge. The simple beauty of interpersonal expression that we often take for granted gradually becomes impossible as the parts of the brain

In the Spirit Builders’ group, I begin by introducing myself, and go around the room, asking members to introduce themselves.  This reinforces the idea that we are here and connected in this community, encouraging engagement.  Several members have shared in previous groups that they love coming to OPICA, and that “it sure beats staying at

Millions of American are caring for a loved one with dementia at home and many turn to tracking and monitoring devices to help them manage the daily juggle of working, ensuring their loved one’s safety and maintaining their own sanity.L There’s a lot riding on technology that could keep people in their homes longer.  As

One of today’s all-too silent health crises is caregiver depression. A conservative estimate reports that 20% of family caregivers suffer from depression, twice the rate of the general population. Of clients of California’s Caregiver Resource Centers, nearly 60% show clinical signs of depression. And former caregivers may not escape the tentacles of this condition after

In a small lab in Jackson Hole, Wyo., 65-year-old Paul Cox believes he’s closing in on a treatment that might prevent Alzheimer’s disease. And ALS. And a host of other neurodegenerative diseases, for that matter. Cox, we should point out, isn’t a neurologist. He isn’t a physician of any kind. He doesn’t work at a

Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is a controversial topic in the medical community, with some well-respected doctors advocating for its use and others concerned about its addictive properties and long-term effects. There have been a number of articles in newspapers and blogs over the years that claim that cannabis or one of its components called cannabinoids