According to a variety of studies, brain-building activities help to keep neurons firing actively. In fact, seniors who regularly participate in brain-stimulating activities are over 60% less likely to be later diagnosed with dementia than those who don’t. With that in mind, here are a few fun games to try that will give your brain a good work out: Use Seven Words. This one will challenge your brain and your creativity. Attempt to describe your day or tell a short story in only seven words. It’s harder than you would think. Play with Numbers. Bored waiting for a doctor’s appointment?
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Archives for Dementia Care
Keep Seniors with Dementia Safe at Home
Caring for a senior with dementia can be overwhelming. To make it a little easier, prepare the senior’s home to be as safe as possible. Here are six simple things you can do to keep your loved ones safe at home: 1. Remove clutter. Limit decorative objects and discard any fake fruit or other material that may appear edible. Remove any plants that are poisonous. 2. Prepare glass surfaces. Put a decal on windows and glass doors at eye level to avoid injury. 3. Prepare for the cold. Keep blankets throughout the house. Remove any space heaters or electric blankets. Don’t leave the
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Should You Take Supplements for Dementia?
As seniors search for ways to reduce the symptoms of dementia, many turn to alternative therapies or dietary supplements. Some companies and practitioners promote herbal remedies and dietary supplements to enhance memory or slow the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. So, are they a valuable resource or a waste of time? It’s really hard to say. While some may be valid candidates for treatment, there are some real concerns about using supplements instead of, or in addition to, medical treatment. Safety. These supplements are not usually regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means that they are not checked
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The Dementia-Fighting Secrets of the Mediterranean Diet
We know that eating healthy foods can help our bodies stay strong through old age, but are we eating the right healthy foods? For several years, doctors have been touting the “Mediterranean Diet” to increase health and stave off heart problems. And now there is research that indicates it can also reduce the risk of dementia. More studies need to be done before there is a definitive link between this diet and decreased dementia, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t start eating these healthy foods today. Here are some tips to eating a Mediterranean diet: Know the pyramid. The
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Surprising Link Found Between Teeth and Dementia
When you skip your six-month dental cleaning, you’re doing more than hurting your teeth. You may have heard that healthy teeth are related to a healthy heart. But a new study is showing that unhealthy teeth may also be affecting other areas of your body as well – most importantly, your brain. Research has found a surprising link between individuals with gingivitis and unhealthy teeth and Dementia. Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums, most commonly caused by bacterial biofilms, also called plaque. While gingivitis may not always hurt the teeth, the bacteria may be able to make its way into
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Online Tool Created to Help Manage Dementia
Family caregivers to seniors with dementia often feel overwhelmed. Although memory loss and cognitive problems are most commonly associated with the condition, dementia can often include drastic and disruptive changes in behavior. Sometimes the behavioral symptoms are treated with antipsychotics, but they have severe side effects and often don’t work. These changes can sometimes become too much for the family caregiver and the senior often ends up in a nursing home and heavily medicated. Researchers from the University of Michigan saw this problem and are in the process of finding a solution to help caregivers manage dementia. They are creating an
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Fight the Risk of Dementia
The risk of dementia can be worrisome, not only for the senior but also for the family members caring for him or her. Although much of the research suggests that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia may be out of our control, some studies are saying that there are ways to prevent the condition. Here are three ways to beat the odds of getting dementia: Work up a sweat. It has been found that the positive circulatory effects of light exercise can reduce the risk of dementia. Beginning a new exercise routine should be discussed with a medical provider first for
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Bucking the trend that memory loss is a part of aging
If someone told you that memory loss wasn’t a normal part of aging, you’d probably think that they were full of bologna. The reality, however, is that while memory loss might not technically be a normal part of growing old, it is a common side effect. And that’s because many adults have spent a lifetime of not getting enough sleep or exercise. Stress and unhealthy diets just compound the problem. In the following video, Dr. Mark Hyman says that memory loss is not only avoidable, but it’s also reversible. The editors of the UltraWellness YouTube Channel explain that the video
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Alzheimer’s reported as ‘fastest-growing’ U.S. health threat
Over the course of the week, headlines emerged announcing that Alzheimer’s disease is now considered the fastest-growing health threat in the United States. The news is in response to a report that was recently released by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in collaboration with the University of Washington. “Groups like the Alzheimer’s Association have been warning that the U.S. will have to cope with a tsunami of Alzheimer’s disease as the population ages,” explained the editors of an article published on the NBC News website. “A report last month projected that the number of patients with this untreatable
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Being aware to take care – identifying the risk factors behind dementia
As we’ve mentioned in past blog posts, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease vary in the sense that one is an effect of the other. Although Alzheimer’s is a disease that to date has no cure, there are many factors that lead to dementia that can be controlled. Some, of those factors, such as being genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s, can’t be changed. However, there are ways to reduce the chances of experiencing dementia. The Mayo Clinic has multiple suggestions as to how to do so and offered up the following guidelines: Alcohol use. Consuming large amounts of alcohol appears to increase the risk of
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