Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which initially involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. Although scientists are learning more every day, right now they still do not...
Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s aggression is fairly common among Alzheimer’s patients. There’s cursing, hitting, grabbing, kicking, pushing, throwing things, scratching, screaming, biting, and making strange noises. More than 4.5 million Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease every year, and up to half can show some of these behaviors. The number of total Alzheimer’s sufferers is projected to...
Connecting with others is at the core of being human – and it’s something that doesn’t change when a person has dementia. We’re often asked what are good activities for dementia patients. It’s important to know that there are many ways you can continue to form connections and strengthen bonds with your loved one during...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is by definition an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory (non-reversible) asthma, and some forms of bronchiectasis. This disease is characterized by increasing breathlessness. Here we discuss what COPD is, how it can be treated, and what are the risks. Many people mistake...
The most frequent winter injuries we see are due to patients slipping and falling. Nationwide, the data show that the risk of hip fractures rises significantly in the winter because of falls on ice and snow. Unfortunately, I frequently see seniors who try to be careful by limiting their outdoor activities in the winter but...
Food allergies also called food hypersensitivity is an unpleasant or dangerous immune system reaction after a certain food is eaten. Millions of people in the united states suffer with food allergies everyday and the cause is unknown. Usually symptoms are pretty self diagnosable including vomiting, rash, abdominal pain, diarrhea and tingling and itching in the...
What are Allergies? Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are a number of conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to something in the environment that usually causes little or no problem in most people. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, and anaphylaxis. Symptoms may include red eyes, an...
Many older adults take too many prescription drugs or take them at too-high doses. Prescriptions started long ago to treat temporary medical conditions somehow never get stopped. Other preventive drugs may offer little to no benefit after a certain age and bring unacceptable side effects for older users. A movement is underway to eliminate excess medications that...
It’s 3pm. Your head is bobbing above your desk. Your stomach is muttering curses. You’re daydreaming about supper. You’re in serious need of some healthy afternoon snacks. We’re not going to recommend carb-crushing cookies or grease-dripping processed fast food. What you need are light healthy afternoon snacks that can deal with your appetite and enhance...