Alzheimer's Archives - Charter Home Health

Could a Vaccine for Alzheimer’s Be in Our Future?

By Kunle Abodunde|2022-01-04T11:19:43-05:00January 6th, 2022|Alzheimer's, Vaccines / Immunizations|

If 2021 will be remembered as the year for COVID-19 vaccines, perhaps 2022 will make its mark with a different kind of life-changing vaccine: a vaccine for Alzheimer’s that may actually prevent or slow the progression of the disease. The first human trial of Protollin, delivered via nasal spray, is underway in 16 seniors between the ages of 60 and 85 with early-stage Alzheimer’s symptoms. The anticipated end result of this nasal vaccine for Alzheimer’s will be to activate immune cells that will remove the beta-amyloid plaque believed to cause the disease. Coming on the heels of controversial results of Biogen’s [...]

Virtual Reality for Seniors: A New Way to Help People with Dementia

By Kunle Abodunde|2021-11-30T11:32:16-05:00December 22nd, 2021|Alzheimer's, Dementia Care|

Imagine for a minute how it would feel to struggle with the cognitive complications of Alzheimer's disease. The family and friends who are closest to you are now unfamiliar. The words that would roll off your tongue without a second thought are now just out of reach. In fact, the world as you once knew it has completely turned upside down, leaving you yearning for a recognizable foothold. One of the kindnesses imparted by dementia is the long-term memories that oftentimes remain intact long after short-term memories have subsided. It is why connecting seniors with Alzheimer's to the past is often [...]

Scientists Have Discovered Unexpected New Information About Alzheimer’s Progression

By Kunle Abodunde|2021-11-30T11:01:23-05:00December 8th, 2021|Alzheimer's, Dementia Care|

If there is one aspect that is constant in the race to solve the puzzle of Alzheimer’s, it is change. It seems as if any time medical researchers begin to get a grasp on one piece, new information shifts their hypotheses in a different direction. That’s certainly the case with the amazing new understanding about Alzheimer’s progression. For the first time ever, investigators from the University of Cambridge have been able to study human data instead of animal models. Their conclusions suggest an origin of the disease in several different areas of the brain, instead of a single location that starts [...]

Safely Manage Dementia and Aggression Using the 6 R’s

By Kunle Abodunde|2021-11-03T15:10:33-04:00November 15th, 2021|Alzheimer's, Dementia Care, Senior Mental Health|

Of the many challenging behaviors typical in dementia, possibly the most complicated to manage is aggression. A senior who has always been mild-mannered can abruptly lash out in outbursts which are truly terrifying: hitting, cursing, kicking, yelling, biting, or throwing things. How can you, as a family care provider, safely help reestablish a sense of calm when managing dementia and aggression? To start with, remind yourself that the aggression is a result of the disease. It’s not something the senior can control, and it is not deliberate. That being said, it must be diffused in order to keep both you and [...]

Learn the Facts Behind Common Hospice Myths

By Kunle Abodunde|2021-10-01T12:43:22-04:00October 14th, 2021|Alzheimer's, Caregiver Wellness, Dementia Care, Hospice, Quality of Life, Senior Health, Senior Issues|

If you knew that a much better quality of life could be achieved for a loved one, you wouldn’t hesitate to explore that option. Yet one of the most beneficial types of care – hospice care – is one that family members shy away from, because of a number of hospice myths. Hospice is meant to assist someone with a life-limiting illness to find respite from pain and other difficult symptoms, while receiving comfort, spiritual, and emotional support. Hospice care is available 24 hours a day, both for the individual needing care in addition to members of the family. And, for [...]

Alzheimer’s and Sleep Problems: How to Help

By Kunle Abodunde|2021-10-01T12:39:03-04:00October 8th, 2021|Aging at Home, Alzheimer's, Dementia Care, Senior Health, Senior Mental Health, Sleep Disorders|

If it feels like a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s and sleep problems has totally rewritten the rules on how and when to sleep, you are not dreaming. For reasons that are not yet completely understood, many people with dementia experience changes to their circadian rhythm, leading to drowsy days and sleepless nights. The advancement of the disease is one contributing factor. Damage to brain cells causes increased weakness, making daily tasks and activities exhausting. Medication side effects from regularly-prescribed dementia treatments can further exacerbate the problem. Why a Good Night’s Sleep Is Crucial for a Senior with Dementia Decreased sleep [...]