Nancy Dezan at Positive Aging Fair

I first heard Nancy Dezan speak about Alzheimer’s disease at the Positive Aging Fair in early fall. Her topic was “The Mind, Body & Spirit of Brain Health.” I heard her again speak on “Reducing Your Loss of Memory” at the Aging and Wellness Conference and Expo in McLean, Va, about a month later. Nancy is the dynamic Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Family Day Center, the only adult day center in Northern Virginia devoted completely to the care of Alzheimer’s clients. She is an Alzheimer’s disease educator with an extensive background in Alzheimer’s and an excellent public speaker.

In her speeches, she assured us that forgetting a person’s name soon after being introduced is not a “senior” problem; it’s a problem of not concentrating. In normal aging, everything slows down; cognitive ability slows down around 40.

If you lost your keys every day, that is not necessarily a red flag. But if you don’t know what to do with the keys, that’s a red flag. Everyone with Alzheimer’s knows something is wrong and they feel vulnerable. Hence, they put keys in odd places like the freezer because they know that the keys are valuable, but since there’s no short-term memory, they can’t remember where or why they put it in the freezer.

She referred to the Nun Study which showed that nuns who were always exercising their brain fared the best, not necessarily those that were the most intelligent, because it sparked new neurons. She offered many tips on how to keep the brain healthy as well as the body. What is good for the normal person is good for one with Alzheimer’s as well. She mentioned four risk factors — blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes. High levels of stress can affect the brain and it is especially important for caregivers to reach out and ask for help.

In my next post, I will introduce you to the Alzheimer’s Family Day Care Center.

Brain Tour from Alzheimer's Association (click image)

Just what is Alzheimer’s disease (AD)? Everyone seems to agree that it is the most common form of dementia accounting for at least half of all dementia cases. (See previous post on discussion of dementia). There is also agreement that in advanced Alzheimer’s disease, a person cannot function intellectually and socially. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Alzheimer’s disease is not a part of normal aging, but the risk of the disorder increases with age. About 5 percent of people between the ages of 65 and 74 have Alzheimer’s disease, while nearly half the people over the age of 85 have Alzheimer’s.”

What is happening in the brain that is causing a person not to be able to function intellectually and socially? Take the “Brain Tour” on the left and notice the shrinkage of the brain as well as the tangles. Just looking at those pictures explains the confusion, doesn’t it?

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are currently three major areas that doctors depend on to make a diagnosis:

1. Lab tests
2. Neuropsychological testing (extensive assessment of thinking and memory skills)
3. Brain scans
   • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
   • Computerized tomography (CT)
   • Positron emission tomography (PET)

Although memory assessments should always be conducted by a medical practitioner, here are two quick paper and pencil tests. The first was published by Times Online (UK) called the “Five Minute Alzheimer’s Test.” The second one is on the Web site of a well-known Alzheimer’s drug, but it states, “This screening tool cannot be used to tell if your loved one has a medical problem, only whether he or she should be tested.” It was adapted from Galvin JE, et al. The AD8, a brief informant interview to detect dementia. Neurology 2005:65:559-564.

Once again, do not draw any conclusions from these memory tests. As discussed by Carrie Hill, Ph.D. in “What you Need to Know about Screenings for Memory Problems,” she states:

1. A memory screening should not be used to make a diagnosis
2. A memory screening does not replace a diagnostic workup
3. Memory screenings should only be performed by qualified professionals
4. Memory screenings should be confidential and provide follow-up resources
5. Memory screenings can be used to establish a baseline
6. Opinions differ on the value of memory screenings. Here she talks about the different views of the two leading non-profit Alzheimer’s organizations — Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and Alzheimer’s Association.

In our next blog post next week, we will look at the most recent diagnosis tools. In the meantime, have you done your Sudoku for today?

Author's Parents (Dorothy and Mark Murakami) with Oldest Grandson (Brian)

Welcome to aboutalz.com — Learning About Alzheimer’s Disease Together. I have a lot of questions about Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and perhaps you do, too. September 21st was World Alzheimer’s Day. The numbers are staggering — today there are about 35 million people in the world living with AD or a related dementia. In just 20 years, the number is expected to double. I am passionate about this topic because I am afraid … afraid that I might one day find myself in my late father’s shoes. The day I heard the words … Dad has Alzheimer’s … froze me in my tracks and is etched in my mind forever. I’m not the only one afraid. Approximately two-thirds of adults 55 and over also have the fear. See http://budurl.com/uvkl.

I’ve been blogging for almost a year … http://noranagatani.com — Helping Seniors Live Happily Ever After … on senior topics that have touched me or my relatives and friends. It’s been a lot of fun. However, in listening to my mentor, Richard Dennis, the message is clear — I need to find a niche. A few months ago, I didn’t know; now I know that niche is Alzheimer’s.

I dedicate this blog in memory of my father who had AD and my mother who was his primary caretaker and in hope for all of us. I’m grateful for your visit and I hope my research will enhance your knowledge about this ravaging disease. I invite you on this journey with me.  I also invite you to read my story on my About Nora page on the tab above.

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