Columbia Aged Care

Aged Care INsite's article, 'The right note,' discusses a new project researchers are about to engage in. We've all had a memory triggered by a song at some stage, this project will study this concept further and explore the power of music in dementia care.

Couples where one member has dementia and the other is the primary care-giver are being sought for a new research study.

Entitled "As Time Goes By", the project, involving Dr Felicity Baker and Dr Nancy Pachana from the University of Queensland, and Professor Denise Grocke from the University of Melbourne, requires 120 couples living in or near Melbourne, Brisbane or Townsville as the project will involve participation in a home-based, carer-conducted music program.

The researchers say the project is designed to trial an active music intervention where the care-giving spouse is shown how he or she could use music effectively with his or her partner to facilitate the sharing of meaningful experiences.

Baker said the researchers were particularly interested in examining the effects of the program on the care-giving spouse.

"We already know the power of music to enrich people's lives and enhance relationships between family members."

To read full article Click Here

Webscribe has written an article on eHow about How to help your loved one as Dementia closes in;

Webscribe discusses how Alzheimer's and related dementias have afflicted hundreds of confused, frightened Alzheimer's residents and their anguished, caring families in facilities. The author of this article is a former nursing home administrator and recreation director.

With Dementia now closing in on a loved one in her own immediate family she offers instructions on how to help yourself and your own loved one experiencing the oncoming’s of Alzheimer’s.

Instructions

Step One:
First stage of Dimentia
This stage takes 2 to 4 years leading up to diagnosis.The person begins to exhibit symptoms of confusion and agitation (can also be caused by accidental drug interactions urinary tract infection).This is the stage when thorough testing is performed, to rule out other causes.

People who have had sharp minds become anxious, fearful of their increasing confusion and loss of    control of their memories and actions, and may exhibit personality changes, avoiding people.

Step Two:
Second or mid stage
 This stage's duration is for 2 to 10 years after diagnosis (the longest stage). Activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing and teeth brushing become difficult, because the person develops difficulty remembering the complex series of steps. Orientation to time, person and place deteriorates. "Did you enjoy your visit with Agnes?" "What visit? Agnes never came to see me!"

Symptoms may include increasing memory loss, confusion, and a shorter attention span, with difficulty recognizing close friends and/or family.

Step Three:
Third or end stage
This stage lasts perhaps a few years. The person may become unable to recognize family, communicate with words, or care for him or herself in any way. There may be incontinence, or difficulty swallowing. The person will need complete assistance with bathing, toileting and dressing.

The person will still be acutely aware of your kindness, your ability to understand, help, comfort, and your love

Step Four:
How to comfort
Whether your loved one is in a nursing home or with you at home, let him or her help in whatever way he or she can. If at home, let mom sprinkle sugar on the apples for the pie, or "help" you brush your hair, as she did when you were little. If she is in a care facility, tell her when you are tired or need a hug; let your loved one know you need her to give YOU comfort! You will be amazed at the emotional transformation.

Step Five:
Beyond meeting your loved one's deep need to matter to others, you can provide real comfort by understanding his or her need for routine

Step Six:
How to help you loved one as Dementia closes in
Most of all, those with dementia need to feel that no matter what they do or cannot do, you will be there for them, always. However great their confusion, the most comforting words they can hear are, "I will always love you."

To read full article CLICK HERE

 The Telegraph, UK  has written an article proving that doing crosswords really does help to keep your brain healthy and sharp. Seniors should try to make time each day to complete at least one cross word.  

To help make this easy YOURLifeChoices provide free daily crosswords on their website. Start doing a cross word a day!

Researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York, found that performing a mental exercise twice a day could help delay the rapid memory loss associated with dementia for more than a year.

Keeping the brain active through hobbies such as crosswords, puzzles, reading, writing and playing card games, can all postpone the start of symptoms of the condition. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that exercising the brain can help to protect against the disease in later life.

Experts warn that the number of people affected by dementia will spiral in coming decades, in part because of an ageing population. Researchers looked at activities including crossword puzzles, playing board or card games, talking in groups, playing music, or even simply reading or writing.

They found that people aged between 75 and 85 who did an average of 11 of the activities every week tended to experience memory problems almost one year and four months later into the progression of the disease than those who did just four a week.

"The effect of these activities in late life appears to be independent of education," said Charles Hall, who led the study. "These activities might help maintain brain vitality. Further studies are needed to determine if increasing participation... could prevent or delay dementia."

The researchers found that for every additional activity an older person undertook a week the onset of rapid memory loss characteristic of the condition was delayed by an average of just over two months. The study followed 488 older people over a five-year period, during which 101 of them developed dementia. On average people who went on to develop the condition did one of the six activities every day, according to the findings, published in the journal Neurology. The findings reinforce the idea that "cognitive reserve" could be built up by taking part in activities that exercise the brain.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "This study shows that exercising the brain may delay the start of memory loss in people who develop dementia. This adds to the 'use it or lose it' hypothesis that we can reap the benefits of stimulating our minds regularly, perhaps by doing crosswords, playing chess or adding up the shopping before getting to the till. Dementia risk can be reduced by eating a healthy diet, whilst keeping an active body and mind."

"With more research we may be able to find ways of preventing dementia. 1.4 million people in the UK will develop dementia within a generation, so we need to invest now."