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Interesting News About Alzheimer’s Prevention Studies
Being quite familiar with the heart ache and dilemmas faced by the many people we’ve helped find the best senior living option in a Memory Care Unit or Alzheimer’s Unit and the concerns of their family members, we’d like to do our part in spreading the word about the Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative prevention studies coming up. The Initiative is an exciting collaborative of researchers launching a new era of Alzheimer’s prevention research. Some of their studies will seek people who carry rare genetic mutations that cause Alzheimer’s to strike early in life, other studies will need to screen thousands of people to find several hundred with the major risk factors for Alzheimer’s. These initial trials are meant to encourage other investigators throughout academia and industry in the U.S. and abroad to offer additional therapeutic trials to people who have Alzheimer’s but do not show any symptoms yet. And the goal is to inspire a wave of therapy research for this […]
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Persons Living In Assisted Living May Have Misdiagnosis
It’s been estimated that 9 percent of persons living in assisted living facilities may have an often misdiagnosed condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus. The unfortunate thing is this condition is treatable. We wonder how many persons in assisted living in Vancouver Washington have this treatable condition. Because the symptoms are similar, the misdiagnoses include Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and even “just getting old.” What is normal pressure hydrocephalus or NPH? NPH is a condition which occurs when the fluid surrounding the brain no longer reabsorbs correctly. This failure to reabsorb slowly leads to problems with memory, disturbed gait, and even bladder control. The person with NPH can experience problems with speech, walking, a loss of train of thought, disorganization, blanking on names or what to do in routine activities of daily living. The diagnosis can be identified through comparison of MRI’s of the brain. The Hydrocephalus Association estimates that at least 350,000 Americans, and 5 percent of people with dementia, have […]
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More Senior Housing Options Coming To The Vancouver, WA Area
We are fortunate to have a variety of senior housing options available in the Vancouver and Clark County Washington area. Those options include adult family homes, assisted living, independent living, retirement communities, memory care and Parkinson’s units, among others. Amenities and services at each differ. And many of these options have been combined for easy transitioning to a higher level of care if needed. But, currently these resources have a 90 percent occupancy rate. And, with Vancouver being a popular spot to retire and the population aging, it means we will soon need more senior housing which is just what is in the plans. There are over 187 units of assisted living, memory care and independent living apartments underway. Some will have pet-friendly parks and, just to name a few of the various amenities and services, others will have exercise rooms, gardening programs, and nursing services. There is recent news that on October 4, one of the senior living […]
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More Foods And Vitamins To Keep Your Memory Sharp
There are certain foods and vitamins recommended in order to keep your brain functioning better. Of course, eats lots of fruits and vegetables every day is advised for overall health, too, but here are some specifics that go beyond the basic fruits and vegetables. The foods to add to your diet include salmon, eggs, kale, blueberries, and mustard. Canned tuna, trout, sardines, walnuts, avocados, olive oil, canola oil and flaxseeds are also included in the list. The seasoning to add is tumeric. The vitamins to add daily include DHA Omega-3 and vitamin D-3. Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen recommend taking 900 mg of the DHA Omega-3 because “your brain is 60 percent fat and half of that is DHA, which keeps your brain cells flexible, fluid, and communicating well. DHA also fights memory loss.” They say, “Your body can’t make DHA, so you have to get it from food and supplements.” If you are concerned about fish toxins, there […]
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More on lowering your risk of dementia
A recent study at the Oregon Health and Science University has shown that persons over 80 with higher levels of certain vitamins and fatty acids performed better on cognitive tests and had less brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer’s disease. And a University of Miami study showed that there was less small blood vessel damage in the brain when eating a certain diet. The Mayo Clinic studies have shown that better brain health is related to eating a fewer than 2,150 calories a day. And avoiding trans fats helps brain health, too. Other studies elsewhere have shown similar findings. All in all, the key to decreasing the risk of dementia seems to be to eat a balanced diet. And, while they do more studies, there are some general tips we can pass on. Without going into all the scientific findings and supporting data, the list of brain healthy foods includes beans, green peas, citrus fruits, sweet peppers, strawberries, cantaloupes, tomatoes, broccoli, […]
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Delay the need for assisted living and memory care units.
With the research advances focused on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, there may be a way to delay the need for assisted living and memory care units. There have been numerous studies showing that eating healthy can help your brain stay healthy, too. Some of the wholesome foods that lead to a healthier brain to reduce your risk of a dementia include beans and green peas, citrus, sweet peppers, strawberries, cantaloupes, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, almonds, avocados and some oils, leafy greens, cabbage, cauliflower, certain fish, spinach, collards, caffeinated coffee, and tumeric, eggs, and some fortified foods in combination with sunlight. Turns out it is beneficial to eat a balanced diet that is low in trans fats. One study showed that eating a Mediterranean diet that included “vegetables, fruits, small amounts of meat and fish, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and moderate amounts of alcohol” decreased the occurrence of small blood vessel damage in the brain. The beans and green peas […]
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Assisted Living In Vancouver WA – How To Start Your Search
The nature of support we offer to families looking for assisted living in Vancouver WA has, by it’s nature, made it so that people in our community know they can turn to us for senior housing and related resources. Assisted living in Vancouver WA is a phrase often used to search for other types of solutions such as Memory Care, Senior Housing and Adult Family Homes. We feel it is important to remind our visitors that “assisted living in Vancouver WA” is a phrase that may not actually bring the right resources to the forefront. Often this search is made during a highly emotional time. We would encourage you to start your assisted living search by leveraging a free service like we offer here at A Caring Heart. We can help you process your needs and determine the correct assisted living in Vancouver WA solution base on your unique needs. It is possible that an assisted living facility, in it’s […]
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New hope for Alzheimer’s Disease?
Researchers have found a natural substance in a type of moss, Huperzia Serrata (also known as Chinese Club Moss) that could be a powerful treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease, and may potentially combat the effects of chemical warfare agents, too. Called Huperzine A, the compound is an enzyme inhibitor that has been used to treat Alzheimer’s disease in China since the late 1990s. It’s also sold in the U.S. as a dietary supplement to help maintain memory. Unfortunately, the moss is extremely rare and may be near extinction in its native China. But now there has been a major breakthrough – Yale scientists have come up with a practical way to synthesize huperzine A in just eight steps, producing a yield of 40 percent. Their research was just published in the journal Chemical Science. Plans are underway to further test the therapeutic potential of Huperzine A in clinical trials involving research subjects with several different neurological disorders. In addition, according to […]
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Assisted Living, Adult Family Homes And Memory Care Are Only A Part Of Aging Readiness
The Clark County Aging Readiness Task Force is going to be at the Clark County Fair at Booth 93 in the Exhibition Hall. In addition to helping families seek the right assisted living, adult family home or memory care location for their loved ones, Kathy has been an active member of this task force. The Aging Readiness Task Force was convened to help address how Clark County can meet the needs of an aging population. Kathy will be at the booth Saturday, August 6th from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.and would love to have you stop by to say hello and gather information. See you at the FAIR!!!
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What Are Memory Care Facilities?
These are boarding home facilities that have staff that is trained to work with people who have such diseases as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and memory loss as a result of such impairments as strokes. A high level of both physical and mental care is usually available in these communities.
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Caring For Aging Skin25 Feb 2016
You may notice the following changes as your skin ages. It becomes thinner and loses fat, looking less smooth than it used to. Veins and bones become more prominent through the skin. Scratches, cuts and […]
Short Term Options2 Feb 2016
Many seniors who are looking for senior housing don’t know about short term stay options that are available at many senior living communities. There are a few different reasons you or your loved one might […]