Alzheimer’s Resource and Research Foundation

Stage-dependent Goals Caregivers need to communicate differently with those with dementia at different stages of the disease. As the disease progresses, more skill is required to convey messages and establish mutual understanding. It is important to remain flexible and aware of how effective different techniques are in different situations. As dementia progresses from early to […]

Mindy Kim-Miller, MD, PhD The role of caregiving for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease is primarily a woman’s role. And this role has serious financial and medical repercussions. Of the almost 10 million Americans caring for a person with AD or other dementia, about 75% are women, 50% are the spouse of the care

Mindy J. Kim-Miller, MD, PhD Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia. Among persons at otherwise low risk of developing AD, having DM2 may increase that risk three to five times. Elevated hemoglobin A1C (a measure of average blood glucose level for the past

Mindy J. Kim-Miller, MD, PhD There is growing evidence for a link between cardiovascular (heart) disease and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Both diseases share common risk factors including hypertension (high blood pressure), cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, smoking, and ApoE4 (a gene which has been associated with atherosclerosis, AD, and possibly vascular dementia). The intriguing part of these

Activity-focused dementia care stresses the importance of activity as personally meaningful occupation in the lives of those with dementia. In this approach to care, caregivers make a commitment to doing activities with care recipients rather than for them, which helps care recipients to maintain and perhaps even improve their skills and capacities. Caregivers recognize and

Mindy Kim-Miller, MD, PhD Different forms of dementia have different pathologies (causes, processes, development, and consequences) and respond to different medications. Even within one type of dementia, there may be differences in pathologies that make one subtype more responsive to certain treatments than another. Correctly diagnosing the type of dementia and identifying individual differences in

Mindy J Kim-Miller, MD, PhD Although many studies have examined the effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the results remain confusing. Some of the common NSAIDs used in these studies include aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), celecoxib (Celebrex), naproxen (Aleve), indomethacin (Indocin), and sulindac (Clinoril). One report

  Remember that effective caregiving takes: Knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease, people, human behavior. Skill in interpersonal relations and with caregiving techniques. Flexibility in routine and approaches. What works today may fail tomorrow. What works with one person may not with someone else. An attitude of hopeful but realistic expectation. Focus on the positive, healthy qualities

If your care recipient with dementia has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, consider these non-pharmacologic approaches for improving sleep before or in conjunction with pharmacologic approaches. Encourage the person to use the bedroom for sleeping only. Discourage the person from staying in bed while awake, watching television, or reading. Establish a comfortable, familiar, and

These tips for communicating with someone with dementia can improve the relationship between the caregiver and care recipient, and lead to better quality of care. DO’s Face the care recipient directly, maintain eye contact while communicating, and attract her/his attention before beginning. Be at the care recipient’s eye level. If the person is standing, you