Archive for category: Coping with Alzheimer’s/Dementia

6 New Studies on Alzheimer’s Disease

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s Disease, which is the most common type of dementia. Because of its prevalence, Alzheimer’s is widely studied. The National Institute on Aging alone is currently supporting over 400 clinical trials on Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Those trials include clinical drug development, non-pharmacological interventions, and dementia care.

“In the past century, scientists have made remarkable strides in understanding how Alzheimer’s affects the brain and learning how to make life better for affected individuals and families,” according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

 

Latest Research

In just the past recent months, there have been several new findings. Here are some of the latest studies:

 

  1. Researchers with the AHEAD study are looking at a drug that might protect people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s. It looks at whether this treatment can slow or stop the earliest brain changes.
  2. Another study looks at the effect of beer hop compounds on protecting against Alzheimer’s.
  3. This study suggests different ethnicities respond differently to therapies. Researchers believe a blood pressure drug may lower the risk of Alzheimer’s in African American adults over 60 years old. However, it does not do the same for white seniors.
  4. Researchers are looking at a saliva test called genoSCORE to determine someone’s future risk for Alzheimer’s.
  5. A first nationally representative study finds more almost 1 in 10 older Americans have dementia.
  6. This study looks at how the “love hormone” or oxytocin may help improve memory. On a study done only with mice, oxytocin was shown to reverse cognitive impairment.

 

About Advena Living

At Advena Living, we are proud to serve individuals from all walks of life at all stages of life, including those who have dementia. We offer a safe, secure home for anyone who experience cognitive decline and need additional assistance.

We specialize in assisted living, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and long-term care throughout the state. Our locations include Bonner Springs, Cherryvale, Clay Center, Clearwater, Rose Hill, Topeka, and Wichita.

The name “Advena” means newcomer. We welcome newcomers seeking a caring environment where they may continue to live their best lives. Part of our guiding philosophy is that we honor choice. We believe that community members should always have a say in how they live their lives. We will work hard to accommodate what you want your schedule to be every day.

Reading the Signs – and Understanding Your Options for Memory Care

Memory issues are common with aging. How many of us have searched the house in a frenzy looking for reading glasses perched on our heads – or used the flashlight on a phone to search beneath the couch for that very phone?

That’s why it’s so important to be able to recognize when memory glitches might be more than just the normal, everyday lapses we all experience. Once you’ve accepted that Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia is at play, researching what the options are for safe, affordable memory care can seem an overwhelming task.

As noted in this article from U.S. News, here are five signs that it’s time to consider memory care options:

  1. Changes in behavior
  2. Confusion and disorientation that imperil physical safety
  3. A decline in physical health
  4. A caregiver’s deterioration
  5. Incontinence

There are many considerations to help determine whether memory issues can best be supported through in-home care, assisted living, specialized memory care, long-term nursing home care – or a combination of care settings and services therein.

At Advena Living, we can accommodate individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s at any of our communities. We welcome new community members who may be experiencing escalating memory loss and need a safe, comfortable home with extra cognitive support. Reach out to us today and we can be part of the decision-making process.

About Advena Living

Advena, which is Latin for newcomer, is built on welcoming newcomers to our communities and creating a culture that means “home” to them. Because our community members are considered part of our extended family, we give them the flexibility and freedom to live the life they want, while providing the person-centered care they need. Your life, your choice – welcome home.

“A Happy Surprise” – New Research Shows Socializing Improves Cognition for Older Adults

Millions of Americans have Alzheimer’s disease – and since the COVID-19 pandemic began, socialization has decreased for many, which is known to have adverse effects.

That’s why Ruixue Zhaoyang, assistant research professor of the Center for Healthy Aging at Penn State, called it “a happy surprise” when his team concluded that cognitive abilities improve for days following joyful social interaction in adults aged 70-90. According to Zhaoyang:

“Our study is one of the first to show that [having] social interactions on one day can immediately affect your cognitive performance that same day and also on the following days. The fact that we found that the cognitive benefits of having pleasant social interactions could manifest over such a short time period was a happy surprise and could be a promising area for future intervention studies.”

At Advena Living, we care deeply about making sure our community members experience joy in their lives every day. In addition to excellence in memory care and nursing home/long-term care, we provide healthy and happy social interaction, and we welcome loved ones to come do the same.

You can read about the Penn State study here.

About Advena Living

Advena, which is Latin for newcomer, is built on welcoming newcomers to our communities and creating a culture that means “home” to them. Because our community members are considered part of our extended family, we give them the flexibility and freedom to live the life they want, while providing the person-centered care they need. Your life, your choice – welcome home.

Alzheimer’s & Activities: Safely Assisting with Normalcy

Maybe you grew up watching your father read the newspaper every morning with his cup of coffee. Now, with Alzheimer’s disease, he may not be able to fully comprehend what he reads – but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should stop offering him a newspaper each morning. The ritual of normalcy may be more important than how much information he absorbs from the news.

Of course, for safety reasons, modifications may be necessary for other types of favorite activities enjoyed before the onset of dementia. The onset of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia doesn’t have to bring an end to doing what we love. They simply require modifications, especially as the disease progresses. The Alzheimer’s Association provides some helpful tips on choosing and modifying activities for people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.

Expertise in dementia is something our memory care experts at Advena Living bring to the table every day. In our Advena Living Communities, individualized living is the standard we hold – and honoring a person’s freedom of choice is our goal. We are advocates for making care more compassionate and intentional – supporting what brings individuals joy.  Whether at home with you or at home with us, it is important to keep your loved one involved in doing what they love, at whatever level they are capable.

About Advena Living

Advena, which is Latin for newcomer, is built on welcoming newcomers to our communities and creating a culture that means “home” to them. Because our community members are considered part of our extended family, we give them the flexibility and freedom to live the life they want, while providing the person-centered care they need. Your life, your choice – welcome home.

Fighting Alzheimer’s on The Longest Day

The Longest Day coincides with Alzheimer’s and Brain awareness month in June. The Longest Day® is the day with the most light – the summer solstice. On June 20, thousands of participants from across the world come together to fight the darkness of Alzheimer’s.