Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and rapidly escalated into a global pandemic. Severe illness of COVID-19 predominantly occurs in older people and in individuals with underlying medical comorbidities. Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in the aging population. The majority of people living with …
Adverse Financial Outcomes…Early Detection of Dementia?
Did you know that missing payments on your monthly bills could be an early sign of Dementia? A recent study shows that those living with some form of Dementia are likely to miss bill payments up to six years prior to their official diagnosis and that adverse financial events were more common among those with lower education. Missed payments may …
Loss of Smell? Is it Dementia?
Recent research has linked impaired senses to Dementia, especially the sense of smell. Does this mean if you have lost your sense of smell you have Dementia? Probably not, however, it can be an early sign. Patients participated in a study where they underwent hearing tests (with no hearing aids), vision tests with contrast (eyeglasses were permitted), vibration testing in …
Connecting Through the Mask
Living in the year of a pandemic has changed the way staff work with our residents. Although PPE such as face masks/shields, gowns, and gloves are essential in lessening the potential spread of COVID-19, it can leave residents and staff feeling “empty”. Many residents have voiced being lonely, sad, depressed, anxious, imprisoned, and disconnected from their loved ones. Staff have …
Cognitive Screening
There are a number of cognitive screening assessments that are used to assist in diagnosing early Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. These are quick screens and consist of tasks such as listing objects, recalling items that were provided at the beginning of the assessment, naming the current President, etc. Although there are inconsistencies in outcomes with these types of assessments as …
More Pearls of Wisdom – Teepa Snow
People living with Dementia experience changes in their ability to comprehend and process language. Dementia may also interfere with how they understand words; which can pose challenges with daily activities and accepting assistance with routine. Comprehension versus Hearing Loss As seniors age, many times they experience a decrease in their ability to hear spoken words. This can lead to the …
Dementia Activities Toolkit
This toolkit was developed to assist you, the caregiver, in creating unique activities that may help with keeping your “busy” residents occupied and in a happy place! Residents living with dementia may not be able to tell you they are lonely, bored, sad, depressed, etc. It is up to us to identify the symptoms of loneliness and boredom and address …
Cognitive Decline or Age-Related Hearing Loss?
Recent studies have shown that constant changes in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for processing memory, play a role in increasing the risk of being diagnosed with dementia. In this study, it was observed that the greater the hearing impairment, the weaker the brain plasticity in the hippocampus, and the weaker the ability to change and adapt …
The Next Meal…Food for Thought
Researchers in France conducted a study focusing on diet, the combination of foods consumed, and the impact it may have on dementia. What the researchers found is that it wasn’t necessarily the quantity of food that was a determining fact in diagnosis, but rather food choices. The study participants were those living with dementia and patients with no symptoms or …
Prognosis – Living With Dementia
As the number of people living with Dementia increases around the country, researchers are taking a deeper-dive into this dynamic, progressive disease. A recent study conducted in Ontario, Canada found that patients with a confirmed diagnosis in the early stages have approximately five years before they require a care home and/or succumb to the disease. Of course, a number of …
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