In a study published on medRxiv (not yet peer reviewed), researchers found that people with type 2 diabetes, over aged 50, and new users of Metformin, had about a 20% lower rate of dementia than patients taking Sulfonylureas (Glipizide, Glucotrol, etc.). The new users of Metformin also had about a 20% lower rate of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and vascular dementia. …
As we continue our journey through the pandemic of 2020, many of us have suffered negative outcomes related to loneliness and isolation. As the experts have been preaching and CMS finally agreed, isolation in anyone, but especially in seniors, can have a devastating, long-term effect. We are seeing this in our centers, with many deaths, albeit unrelated to the virus …
For years and years, we have provided care and services for residents living with Parkinson’s disease and know the disease is debilitating and often leads to death. However, in the past 10 years, mortality rates have increased significantly according to a study published by the American Academy of Neurology. What is interesting in the study is that there are no …
Since December 2019, the world has been influenced by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As of February 18, 2021, approximately 110 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2.4 million deaths have been reported around the world. The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020 …
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting over 6 million globally, second only in prevalence to Alzheimer’s disease. There is currently no conclusive, pre-clinical diagnostic test for PD, diagnosis is usually made through observations by a physician of the decline in motor function. Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a common non-motor symptom reported in 60% of people with Parkinson’s. This condition …
The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society published an article discussing the impact of Type 2 diabetes on Parkinson’s disease. Both of these diseases affect an aging population and although studies have explored the relationship between the two diseases, results have been conflicting. The objective of their study was to investigate Type 2 diabetes with Parkinson’s disease progression. At the …
Older adults with the lowest quartile of baseline HDL-C showed higher Parkinson’s incidence over 5 years compared with those in the highest quartile group according to Do-Hoon Kim, MD, PhD, of Korea University College of Medicine in Ansan and co-authors. The study found that lipids may also play a role in Parkinson’s but the connection between HDL-C and Parkinson’s is …
I remember as a young child my parents would dance the “Tango” and I thought it was funny. As I got older I thought it was cute that they could still dance together and not step on each other’s feet! The Argentine Tango is a partnered dance focused on walking and balance dynamics. Partners learn correct posture and the ability …
Sadly, most of us have residents with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease and we have little to assist us in evaluating the progression of this disease except when the resident begins to decline physically and/or mentally. As sad as this is, we can’t cure Parkinson’s Disease, and watching a resident decline is heartbreaking. But a recent article published in the …
It is no surprise to most of us that physical activity has long-lasting, positive effects on the human body. But a recent study published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease reaffirmed this long-standing belief. The study evaluated long-distance skiers and found that although their brains may have degenerative changes associated with Parkinson’s disease, they didn’t experience the physical symptoms usually …
