Your spouse may drive you crazy at times, but new research suggests that your marriage may keep you from losing your mind. The risk of dementia was significantly lower for married people than for adults who remained single their entire lives. That’s not say that people should get married simply to ward off dementia. But […]
Marriage and Dementia Read More »
A recent article in the New York times reports that simple blood tests may soon reveal alarming news about your cognitive health. Today, finding out whether dangerous plaques are building up in your brain requires either a PET scan at a cost of about $4,000 or a spinal tap. And while genetic tests can help
What if you knew Alzheimer’s was coming for you? Read More »
Dogs love routine. People with dementia have difficulty with routine, everyday activities. Roughly a dozen years ago, two people had the idea to put them together. When Israeli social worker Daphna Golan-Shemesh met professional dog trainer Yariv Ben-Yosef, they chatted about their respective occupations. As Ben-Yosef recalled, “It was clear to us that Daphna’s expertise
Can Dogs Make a Difference in Dementia Care Read More »
If you can’t remember where you left your keys, join the crowd. If you can’t remember what your keys are for, that’s another story. There’s a prevailing misconception that Dementia is a normal part of aging – but it isn’t. Not a specific disease, dementia is a group of conditions characterized by impairment of at
The Facts About Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Read More »
Romantics say that you can see a person’s soul by looking into his or her eyes. Apparently, you also can see whether they eventually will develop Alzheimer’s disease.The same biomarkers that accumulate in the brain — proteins called beta-amyloids that clump together into sticky “plaque” that are the signs of Alzheimer’s disease — appear in
Look Into My Eyes – Detecting Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Read More »
Everyone loves to celebrate a birthday – even those with dementia can enjoy it. If someone has trouble with short-term memory, they’re apt to quickly forget the “party.” At OPICA our focus is to create a simple celebration that produces a positive and happy vibe. Positive emotions can linger for days in someone with dementia,
Focus on Creating Positive Emotions More Than Memories Read More »
Storytelling is one of the most ancient forms of communication — it is how we learn about the world. It turns out that for people with dementia, storytelling can be therapeutic. It can give people who don’t communicate well an alternative way to communicate, using an activity that sparks memories, encourages verbalization and promotes self-esteem
From Memory to Imagination Read More »
All of us, including those with dementia, have a desire to maintain control over our lives. For people with dementia, this desire becomes increasingly difficult to navigate and often leads to frustration and anger. As CAREgivers we have the potential to comfort frustration in our loved ones. Understanding a few facts about dementia will contribute
Soothing Frustration for People with Dementia Read More »
People with dementia can often make great use of touchscreen devices like iPads. Many “Apps” for these devices involve tactile and very simple to use interactions to play games and engage in activities that support memory. We thought it would be helpful to introduce you to a few… they really can change the quantity and
7 iPad Apps for Dementia Clients Read More »
It is essential that families understand why aggression in people with dementia arises and what to do to reduce frustration. UCLA psychologist Linda Ercoli, PhD empowers CAREgivers with a thorough explanation of the common causes of verbal and physically aggressive behavior in people with advancing dementia. Dr. Ercoli explains that aggression in people with dementia is
Managing Aggressive Behaviors in People with Dementia Read More »