Economic stimulus legislation

In today’s edition of the McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and Assisted Living Newsletter I read this article on legislation that has been passed protecting our Seniors against abuse. 

“Economic stimulus legislation hasn’t been the only item on Congress’s plate lately. The House of Representatives Wednesday passed a bill that would fund elder abuse prosecution and establish education and therapy programs for victims and their families..”

The Elder Abuse Victims Act sailed through the House with a 397-25 vote. As part of the bill, Congress would direct the attorney general’s office to conduct research into current state and local elder abuse prevention programs. The legislation also would provide funding for elder abuse prosecution at local, state and federal levels, as well as law enforcement training and nurse-investigators to identify and evaluate elder abuse cases.

Between 1 million and 2 million seniors in the U.S. have suffered abuse, according to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA). There is currently no Senate companion bill, though Sestak has said the Senate would likely pass a bill soon.”

Call to Action:  Contact your Senator today.   Ask your Senator to pass a similar bill soon to protect those at risk for elder abuse. 

            Care giver stress often leads to elder abuse in all care giving settings.  Alzheimer’s Care Group can provide strategies and develop programs to enhance the quality of life for all care partners in long-term care settings.  For more information:   www.alzcaregroup.com

The Elder Abuse Victims Act

In today’s edition of the McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and Assisted Living Newsletter I read this article on legislation that has been passed protecting our Seniors against abuse. 

“Economic stimulus legislation hasn’t been the only item on Congress’s plate lately. The House of Representatives Wednesday passed a bill that would fund elder abuse prosecution and establish education and therapy programs for victims and their families.

Between 1 million and 2 million seniors in the U.S. have suffered abuse, according to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA). There is currently no Senate companion bill, though Sestak has said the Senate would likely pass a bill soon.”

Call to Action:  Contact your Senator today.   Ask your Senator to pass a similar bill soon to protect those at risk for elder abuse.

            Care giver stress is a leading cause of elder abuse.  A study, published in the British Medical Journal earlier this year, states that fifty percent of family caregivers demonstrate abusive behavior towards the family member with dementia that they are caring for.

You’re not alone.  We’re experts.  Get the right answers and appropriate strategies the first time, and every time.

www.behomelivelife.com                   Phone: 317-218-5111

Love Triumphs even in the midst of Alzheimer’s

Many caregivers barely have time to breathe let alone get excited about a holiday that many believe was created by Hallmark and Hershey.  Valentine’s Day embraces the tradition of taking time out of our busy lives to tell those we love how much they mean to us.  Often, as Alzheimer’s progresses, many couples find that intimacy is extremely difficult.

I once assisted a couple who had been married for forty nine years when I met them.  The wife called me in tears because her husband’s aggression towards her was becoming more difficult each day.  When I met them at their home, she left me alone to talk with him for a while and he said to me, “That woman is kind and she makes a great meatloaf, but she’s not my wife.  I don’t think my wife will come back as long as that woman is here.”    He no longer recognized her as his wife.  He believed that he was in his mid thirties and thought his wife was that age as well.  When he looked at her he only saw an old woman he didn’t know.

I helped this family place “George” into the Alzheimer’s Center where I worked.  He adjusted quite easily, which surprised us.  When his wife came to visit he recognized her every time.  Eventually we discovered that he believed he was in boot camp.  He had written his wife many long letters expressing his love and dedication to her.

He would light up when she walked into the room to visit.  She would come by to see him every other day.  He would get the biggest smile on his face whenever he spoke of his “Mary.”  Each time she visited she had a “plan of the day.”  She would bring an activity kit, a snack, a scrapbook, or some type of task that they could work on together.   If something wasn’t working at the house, she would tell him about it and ask his advice.  It didn’t matter if his advice was nonsensical or not appropriate.  What mattered was that Mary gave George a chance to have a purpose.  To Mary it was important that she always recognized that he was her husband and that she was his wife. 

Attachment is as important to someone with Alzheimer’s as it is when a person is very young.  Mary understood that it was important for their marriage as well as for George’s well being to continue to provide the attachment they both needed.  Even towards the final stage of Alzheimer’s George knew his wife and could express his love for her in nonverbal looks and smiles.

You are not alone.  We’re the experts.  Get the right answers and approprite strategies the first time, and everytime.

www.behomelivelife.com

Aging in America – Aging in Indiana

Aging in America – Aging in Indiana

In 1999, Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D, published in Age Power the following:  “Currently, 47 percent of people over age 85 – the world’s fastest growing demographic segment – suffer from some form of dementia”.  As a nation, we are not prepared for the boomers who start turning 65 in 2011.  We’re in a crisis and very few states have a commissioned task force to prepare for aging and dementia.  Young or old, insured or not, republican or democrat, we should all be concerned.  If I’m preaching to the choir, help me take this to our mayors and governors.

Brain Protein Could Halt Alzheimer’s

I read this interesting article in McKnight’s Long Term Care and Assisted Living Newsletter yesterday.  As with all research, we must give the researchers time to see how this develops. 

Brain Protein Could Halt Alzheimer’s

The key to slowing, or even stopping, the progression of Alzheimer’s disease may lie in a naturally occurring protein produced by the brain, according to recent research.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is produced by the brain’s entorhinal cortex, which helps support memory. In patients with Alzheimer’s disease, researchers found that production of BDNF is significantly decreased. By injecting the protein into aged animals and animals bred to exhibit Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, scientists at the University of California, San Diego, were able to stimulate the brain’s memory circuits and prevent cell death caused by disease or brain damage.

The effects of the protein were “potent,” researchers said. The animals that received the treatment soon began producing more BDNF on their own, and researchers noted improved memory function and other long-term benefits. The treatment was deemed safe and effective in animal models, leading researchers to believe the treatment work similarly in humans. Their research was published in the Feb 8 issue of the journal Nature Medicine.