Caring for Dementia Patients Is Stressful and Isolating – A study from Pennsylvania State University found that caregivers of dementia patients were highly stressed and more likely to suffer from depression and potential mental breakdowns.

New Alzheimer’s Vaccine To Be Tested in Europe – A vaccine developed by Austrian biotechnology company Affiris will be tested in 6 European countries with 420 participants in the trial. The vaccine works by attacking the plaque which is known to cause Alzheimer’s disease.

Domestic Robot May Help Seniors Live Independently – European researchers are linking domestic robots with smart homes fitted with sensors and monitoring devices in an effort to help seniors live independently longer.

New Blood Test Could Help Tailor Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis – A simple blood test can help identify which immune system antibodies can be used to treat suffers of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Brain Images Suggest Alzheimer's Drug Is Working – New image technology suggests that Bapineuzumab, a new Alzheimer’s drug, is working.  Studies show the drug reduces clumps of plaque in the brain by 25% which is important because plaque is an underlying cause of Alzheimer’s. 

Ibuprofen May Reduce Parkinson's Risk – A new study from Harvard University has found that taking Ibuprofen may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease.  The research showed that people who took three or more Ibuprofen tablets a week had a 40 percent lower risk of contracting the illness than those who didn't take it.  
 

Video Games May Help Battle Depression in Seniors – A new study has found that “exergames,” video games that combine game playing with exercise, can help improving the symptoms of subsyndromal depression (SSD).  
 

Rapid Image Analysis Method Helps Diagnose Alzheimer's Disease – A study from Finland has found that MRIs of the brain can be used to diagnose Alzheimer’s quickly.  Up until this study, diagnosis of Alzheimer’s has been done by review of the symptoms without the aide of brain images.
 

Editors Note - Caregiver News Roundup will now be appearing every 2 weeks.

Industrial Chemical Linked to Increased Risk of Getting Parkinson’s – A new study has found that exposure to the industrial solvent trichloroethylene increases your risk of coming down with Parkinson’s disease by six times.  Trichloroethylene is an industrial cleaner used in dry cleaning, machine shops and in the manufacture of electrical equipment.

Diabetes Drug Increases Risk of Bone Fracture in Older Women – A study has found that women over age 65 who take thiazolidinedione, a drug to treat Type 2 diabetes, were 50% more likely to suffer bone fractures than women not taking the medication.

57 Million Americans Sickened by Swine Flu – The Center for Disease Control estimates that 57 million Americans have come down with the Swine Flu since April 2009.  

Blood Test May Be Able to Predict Rheumatoid Arthritis – A study has found that blood tests maybe able to detect rheumatoid arthritis years before symptoms appear.  This information make it possible for doctors to identify the disease early and help find the most effective treatments for each patient.

Truth about Heart Disease: There Is No Cure – Heart disease is the number 1 cause of the death in the US and as former President Bill Clinton’s stent procedure shows that while it can be treated there is no cure for it.

FDA Wants to Reduce Radiation Exposure in Medical Tests – The Food and Drug Administration has announced a plan to reduce patient’s exposure to radiation in 3 tests – CT scans, nuclear medicine studies and fluoroscopy.  Medical advances over the past 20 years have resulted in a dramatic increase in radiation exposure from tests.

Marijuana Ineffective as a Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease – A new study from Canada has found that marijuana is not effective at combating the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Being a caregiver is an incredibly stressful experience and a new study by the MetLife Mature Market Institute has some startling conclusions about its impact.  The report examined employees serving as caregivers and found that they are more likely to suffer from health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and depression than their co-workers.

Some of the key findings in the study include:

• Caregivers have health costs which are 8% higher than people who are not caregivers and cost employers $13.4 billion a year.

• Employees serving as caregivers were more likely to report poor health than their co-workers.  For example, 17% of female employees ages 50 and older who were caregivers reported fair or poor health compared to 9% of non-caregivers.

• Employed caregivers find it difficult to take care of their own health care needs and are less likely to get preventive care such as mammograms, annual physicals and preventive health screenings.

One In Five Nursing Homes Has Poor Quality Ratings – According to Medicare, 20% of nursing homes have poor quality of care and receive one or two stars out of five in the Medicare ranking system. 

How Doctors Can Assist Caregivers – Doctor’s can help caregiver by asking them questions not just about the patient but also the caregiver’s health, needs and well being.

Brains in Older People Are Good at Sorting Out Useless Information – A new study has found that the brains of older people are better at sorting out useful information versus useless information than those in younger people.

White House Middle Class Task Force Unveils Caregiving Initiative – As part of the federal budget for Fiscal Year 2011, the White House is proposing initiatives to ease the burden for caregivers including $103 million to expand the availability of respite care, counseling, training, referrals, and adult day care.

Genetic Link Found for Parkinson’s Disease – A new study has found that a combination of genetic risks, dietary habits and other environment factors lead to the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s Disease Rehabilitation Center Launched – The American Parkinson’s Disease Association and Boston University have opened the first rehabilitation center aimed specifically for people with Parkinson’s disease.  The center will emphasize exercise, a healthy lifestyle and physical therapy as a way to combat and slow progression of the disease.

Blood Pressure Drug Reduces the Risk of Dementia – A new study has found that people who take drugs to reduce their blood pressure have a 50% lower risk of coming down with dementia.

Caregiver Stress Linked to Hire Risk of Stroke – A new study for the journal Stroke found that caregivers who found the role stressful were 23% more likely to have a stroke.

A broad range of innovations for seniors were debuted at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show(CES) in Las Vegas, from automatic fall detection devices and brain exercise software to iPhone applications and new health websites.  Without question, cutting edge technology for seniors is emerging quickly and becoming more user-friendly. 

This being my first time at CES, I came away amazed and overwhelmed after 3 days of walking through 3 major exhibit halls that each seemed larger than football stadiums.  With over 2,500 exhibitors and over 125,000 attendees, this was a candy store moment for the techie in all of us.    

This conference was so vast that I am addressing it in  3 parts beginning with this post.  Part 2 of this series will address lifestyle technologies for boomers and seniors and  in Part 3, I will write about the Silver Summit, a conference on aging and technology that took place during CES.

Since eCare Diary is dedicated to seniors and caregivers, I will focus this review on new technologies relevant to managing care for aging loved ones. 

1)       Wellcore’s new Personal Emergency Response System is a new lightweight, wearable, and wireless clip-on device that monitors movement, especially a fall.  If your parent or loved one falls, an email or SMS text message will alert you immediately without their having to push a button triggering the added step of an operator making a phone call.  The base unit with one clip-on device retails for $199 along with a monthly service fee of $49.  An additional clip-on is $99.  The product will be available for purchase in March.  For information, visit www.wellcore.com.

Assistance to help people pay for the costs of long term care has been included in both the House and Senate healthcare reform packages.  This bill, known as the CLASS Act, establishes a voluntary, affordable government long term care insurance program. 

The coverage is designed to keep people in their own houses and out of institutions like nursing homes whenever possible. Some of the services covered under the CLASS Act include home care, respite care, home modifications, transportation, and assistive technologies.

The premiums will work in a similar manner to life insurance and will vary based on age at the time of purchase.  They are expected to increase periodically with age. 

In order to qualify for benefits, an individual is required to be 18 years old or older and have paid monthly premiums for at least 5 years.  In order to receive coverage, a person must:

• Be unable to perform two or more activities of daily living (ADL) e.g. eating, bathing, dressing, transferring.
• Have a cognitive disability that requires supervision or hands-on assistance such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis or traumatic brain injury.

Senate Passes Healthcare Reform Bill – The US Senate passed a healthcare reform bill on Christmas Eve.  The House of Representatives passed a bill in November.  The two bills will be merged and a final vote is expected by late January.

Alzheimer’s May Lessen the Risk of Getting Cancer – A new study found that people who are suffering from Alzheimer’s are 69 percent less likely to get cancer than people not suffering from the disease.

Nursing Shortage Is A Concern for Baby Boomers – The US is expected to face a nursing shortage just as the baby boom generation begins to retire.  By 2025, the US will be facing a shortfall of 260,000 nurses.

Healthcare Will Need to Change as the Nation Ages – A report from the Institute of Medicine says US is not prepared for the coming boom of senior citizens.  A major concern is a lack of medical professionals, such as geriatricians, to treat aging conditions. 

US Senate Set to Pass Healthcare Reform by Christmas – An agreement has been reached in the Senate on a healthcare reform bill and a vote is expected before Christmas.  The bill is expected to be merged with the one passed by the US House of Representatives in the New Year.

Participating in Social Services Activities Can Improve Senior’s Brain Function – A new study has found that volunteer activities such as tutoring students can help improve the brain function of older individuals.

Alzheimer’s Takes A Toll on Finances as Well as Memory – Providing daily care to Alzheimer’s patients including feeding, bathing, and other basic activities is costly and takes a huge toll on the finances of the patient and their families. 

Coffee, Tea May Help Prevent Diabetes – A new Australian study has found that drinking coffee and tea reduce your risk of developing Diabetes Type 2.  The study reports that every cup of coffee you drink reduces the risk of diabetes by 7 percent.

Obesity, Inactivity Are Having a Negative Impact in the Fight Against Heart Disease – New information provided by the American Heart Association finds that medical technology is getting better at treating heart and cardiovascular problems.  However, lack of exercise and obesity are reversing many of the gains being made in medical technology.

Delaying Aging Process May Help Protect Against Alzheimer’s -  A new study has found that slowing the aging process in mice with Alzheimer’s delays the start of the disease.  It has promise to help humans with the disease.

Irregular Arm Swing Maybe A Sign of Parkinson’s Disease – Some neurologists believe irregular arm swings may be an early sign of Parkinson’s.  Early detection of the disease is important for treatment and slowing its progression.

Caregivers Remain Mainly Women – A new study from the National Alliance of Caregiving and AARP found that caregivers remain overwhelmingly women.  The study also found that caregivers are generally employed and spend 19 hours a week caring for a loved one or close friend.

Lowering Medicare Eligibility Age to 55 Proposed As Part of Healthcare Reform – The United States Senate is considering allowing people from ages 55-65 to buy-in to Medicare if they do not have other health insurance.

Editor’s Note:  eCare Diary is please to welcome Dr. Kathy Johnson, PhD, CMC as a new contributing blogger.   She is a Certified Care Manager and the Co-Founder of Home Care Assistance, Inc. She holds a Doctorate in Psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Kathy is committed to serving the needs of seniors nationwide.  She will be posting articles every other week.

Finally, there is good news for Alzheimer’s sufferers.  A new technology – the GPS enabled I -TAG, promises to prevent Alzheimer’s patients from getting lost, many of them who leave their residence and forget their way back home. The small GPS tracking device can even be used to track children or teenagers. But the main objective, where it is expected to have the largest impact, is the protection of senior citizens, who suffer from some form of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The GPS tracking device also has additional features like live monitoring from any internet-enabled computer, geo-fencing to establish a perimeter, texts, email alerts and SOS call function. According to the company website, the GPS tracking device operates with a rechargeable battery, which lasts a week on an average.

For institutions housing Alzheimer patients such as the Assisted Living Facilities, the geo-fence feature creates a safety net, giving them an option of leading a better quality of life with more independence, while, at the same time, offering them protection, reducing hassles for the caregiver. They can also log on any time to check their whereabouts or view a report of their daily activities. Additionally, the GPS enabled I-tag is equipped with an SOS button. Disoriented patients simply need to press the button which will send a message to the phone or emails of their closed ones, making them know where they are and whether they need help.

Home Health Care Payment Changes Generate Concern – Planned reductions in Medicare home health care payments included in health reform are raising concerns because Medicare patients are the biggest users of these services.  

Smoking Increases the Risk of Colorectal Cancer – A new study shows that long time smokers are at a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Muscle Cell Infusion Shown to Help with Incontinence – A new study has found that cells grown in labs have helped animals intestines shut properly again.  If successful in humans, this treatment could help people suffering from fecal incontinence and acid reflux disease.

Constipation Maybe an Early Sign of Parkinson’s Disease – A study by the Mayo Clinic has found that people suffering from Parkinson’s disease are twice as likely to have a history of constipation than people who do not have the illness.

Understanding Which Vitamins Are Worth the Money – Americans take many vitamin supplements.  However, many people take vitamins they don’t need which not only can cost you money but may not be good for you.

Apathy Common in Patients with Dementia – A recent study has found that apathy is one of the most common psychological problems affecting people with dementia.  More than half of patients suffering from the disease lack motivation and initiative.

Too Much Exercise May Increase Risk for Arthritis – A new study has found that middle aged people who exercise a lot may be putting their knees at risk for Osteoarthritis.

Smoking May Be A Risk Factor In Lou Gehrig’s Disease – Researchers have established that smoking is risk factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Chronic Pain Linked to Increased Falls Amongst Seniors – More than two thirds of older adults suffer from chronic pain.  A new study has found that this pain is a reason for falls in people over 70 years old.

Baby Boomers Getting More Hip Injuries – Today’s senior citizens are more active than previous generations and doctors are seeing more hip and pelvis injuries because of it.  This trend is expected to continue as the baby boomers begin to retire.

A New Cause for Alzheimer’s May Have Been Discovered – Researchers in Spain have discovered that a precursor to nerve growth factor (pro-NGF) may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease.  High levels of pro-NGF are found in Alzheimer’s patients and this accumulation may lead to natural brain cell death.

For this Thanksgiving holiday, we have so much to be thankful for. 

We thank all of you, the community of eCare Diary caregivers, visitors and partners, who’ve helped make the site a success in such a short period of time.  Our mission was to create a centralized place where caregivers could find help, information, and the support they need.  John and I developed this site based on our own personal frustrations as caregivers with the hope that future caregivers would never have to go through what we did. 

I am thrilled to report that in only 10 weeks since eCare Diary went live, the number of visitors and registered users more than exceeded our expectations.  Response to the site has been amazing!  We are overwhelmed by the emails offering thanks, support and terrific new ideas.

We are thankful for our experiences as caregivers.  It wasn’t a role we expected or wanted.  No one wants to watch their parents suffer through long term disease.  However, while those were very difficult, sad times, that experience gave us a hard and fast education on long term care.  We were exposed to information, resources and communities that lead to the creation of this site.

We are thankful for the loved ones in our lives more than ever.  When you’ve suffered loss and death, you appreciate the people in your life in a whole new way.  Around the holidays, John thinks about his parents a lot wishing that they were alive to have met our daughter, Avery.  Their absence makes me more thankful than ever that my parents are still alive, and I appreciate them more profoundly.

We are thankful for our daughter Avery who just turned 19 months old.  She has opened our hearts in ways we never expected.  Giving birth to her reminded us of the preciousness and volatility of human life, interestingly similar to what we observe as caregivers.

We are thankful that eCare Diary is becoming a family affair.  John’s sister, Polly Whitehorn, recently joined us as Director of Special Events and Outreach.  Formerly of the Arthritis Foundation, Polly’s experience and networking has been invaluable in getting the word out about eCare Diary.  Susan’s brother, Kevin Kim, has also joined eCare Diary as Web Designer.  We are so fortunate to have his talent for developing clean, consumer-friendly designs; he is in the process of redesigning the site for eCare Diary 2.0 coming soon!

We are thankful for many new friends we’ve made and partnerships we’ve formed.   Their generosity and assistance have helped propel eCare Diary.  We thank and acknowledge them below.

We wish you a very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Acknowledgements:

Bill Walters, CEO of ALTHA (a hospital trade association), for featuring a 2 page story on eCare Diary in ALTHA’S quarterly newsletter

Denise Brown, creator of Caregiving.com (blog for caregivers), for inviting John to write a 3-part series on his caregiving experiences with his father

Howard Gleckman, author of Caring for Our Parents, for his long term care expertise

Margery Pabst, author of Enrich Your Caregiving Journey, for her caregiving expertise and articles

MarketWatch.com for inviting John to write “Obamacare: Why it’s Different This Time”

Chris Lombardi, of WomensVoicesForChange.org,  for publishing my article “Sex in the Workplace: A Caregiver’s Story”

Jason Alba, Founder of JibberJobber.com (a relationship management website for professionals and entrepreneurs), for his advice, constant support, and plugs

Katherine Lewis, of CurrentMom.com (a blog for tech mom entrepreneurs), for publishing my story, “Becoming An Accidental Entrepreneur”

Karla Lightfoot and Stella Grizont, of LadiesWhoLaunch.com (women entrepreneurs website), for promoting the site and connecting me to an amazing community of female entrepreneurs

Jean Levin, founder of Caring From a Distance, for her advice, thoughts and insights.

Facebook Fans & Friends, your thumbs up and support encourage us all the time!

New Guidelines Recommend Mammograms at 50, Instead of 40 – The United States Preventive Care Task Force changed the recommended age for starting mammograms every two years from age 40 to age 50.  The new guidelines have created controversy and confusion.

Alzheimer’s Caregivers Overlooked – Advocates for Alzheimer’s caregivers are concerned that policy-makers overlook the unique challenges of caring for these patients.

Surgery in Older People Does Not Cause Memory Problems – For many years it was believed that surgery in older people could be the cause for memory lose.  A new study has found that surgery has no impact on memory in older adults.

An Overactive Immune Response May Be Cause of Viral Infections Amongst Seniors – A study at Yale University has found that exaggerated immune response to viruses may be why senior citizens are more likely to contract viral infections that younger people.

Vitamin D May Impact Multiple Sclerosis – Australian researchers have found that the level of Vitamin D in a person’s system impacts the chances of having a Multiple Sclerosis attack.  The study found the higher the level of Vitamin D, the lower the chance of having an attack.

Healthcare Reform Bill Will Lower Medicare Prescription Drug Costs – The healthcare reform bills being considered in Congress will save $24 billion in the Medicare Prescription Drug program which will be used to close coverage gap known as the "donut hole." 

Parkinson’s Disease May Be Slowed by Antioxidant – A new study found that the progression of Parkinson’s can be determined by the level of the antioxidant urate in serum and cerebral spinal cord fluid. Higher levels of this antioxidant can help slow the disease.

Seniors with Dementia Have a Higher Death Rate from the Flu – Senior citizens who suffer from dementia are 50% more likely to die from the flu than those not suffering from dementia. Part of the reason is these patients have a harder time communicating their symptoms to doctors. 

Diabetics Suffering from Alzheimer’s Have Slower Memory Loss – A French study has found that diabetics with Alzheimer’s have slower memory loss than people suffering from only Alzheimer’s. 

Coffee Can Be Good For Your Health –A Harvard Medical School study has found that coffee can help prevent or slow numerous diseases including cancer, diabetes type 2 and Parkinson’s disease. 

Tai Chi Can Help Arthritis of the Knee – A British study has found the Chinese exercise can help relieve osteoarthritis in the knee. 

Robot Can Help Aging Parents Live Independently – A session at TEDMED, a healthcare technology conference, discussed the use of robots to help care for aging parents at home. This technology could eventually help more people stay in their homes.

Today I attended a conference for professional geriatric care managers (GCMs) in New York City.  I had an idea of who they are and what they do, but admittedly, wasn’t one hundred percent clear.  Interestingly, I learned today that many people don’t know who they are or that their service even exists.  Today I got my education and would like to share it with you.

Who & What

GCMs are professionals who conduct in-depth assessments of elderly clients to identify solutions and suggest a customized care plan.  Their knowledge, experience and network can help families navigate the complex system of eldercare.  They can assist with a wide range of topics: 

• Financing care (long term care insurance, Medicare, Medicaid)
• Placement in care facilities (such as adult daycare, nursing homes, assisted living facilities)
• Finding home care agencies
• Eldercare products
• Home living space and design
• Legal documents
• End-of-life planning

GCMs can also serve as a third party when families are having trouble discussing care planning amongst themselves.  They can guide the conversation and even help families through conflicts. 

Swine Flu Emergency Declared – President Obama declared a swine flu emergency Saturday.  This allows hospitals to move emergency services for swine flu into non-emergency room settings which will help speed treatment and protect non-infected patients.

Swine Flu Hits Children and Young Adults the Hardest – Of the 1,000 people who have died from swine flu, approximately 100 have been children.  It is believe that swine flu is hitting this population harder because their immune systems have not been exposed to as many viruses as older people.

eCareDairy.com blog is starting a new feature today which is the Sunday Caregiver News Roundup. We will review important news stories from the previous week with a quick summary of the article and a link to it.

Swine Vaccine Shortage Predicted – The Centers for Disease Control is predicting a shortage of swine flu vaccine. Only 28-30 million doses will be available instead of the 40 million predicted over the summer. The cause is delays from vaccine manufacturers.

Argument About Swine Flu Vaccinations Continues – Concerns about the safety of the swine flu vaccine has fueled debate whether or not people should get a vaccination.

Study Says Surfing the Web Can Help Slow Dementia – A University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) study showed increased brain activity for seniors with dementia who spend at least one hour a day on the Internet. It appears that the old adage of use it or lose it is really true.

I’m relieved to be home.  I just returned from a trip to California where we went to visit my grandfather.   He was in the hospital early September because he refused to eat and became dangerously weak.  He was released after a few days once his health improved and got his strength back.  Since he is 90 years old and has dementia, John and I thought we should pay him a visit while he is still lucid and can recognize us. 

The visit was emotionally exhausting and tense.  You see, the care of my grandfather since his diagnosis with dementia caused a deep rift in my family.  His 3 children fought bitterly for custody of him and ultimately my paternal uncle won conservatorship.  Conservatorship is when a judge decides that a person cannot take care of themselves and chooses a person or organization, the “conservator,” to be in charge of their care.

This all happened 3 years ago.  My grandfather was living independently in New York City until several incidents such as a major car accident, declining health, and going after my father with a knife made the family realize he could no longer live alone.  Begrudgingly, he sold his home of over 40 years and moved to California to live with my paternal aunt until another living arrangement could be made.

Today has particularly significance for me because my grandfather has dementia.  World’s Alzheimer’s Day was established 15 years ago by Alzheimer’s Disease International to raise awareness of dementia as a serious illness that will have significant impact on healthcare systems around the world. 

According to the 2009 World Alzheimer’s report, the number of people with dementia around the world is 35.6 million and expected to more than triple by 2050.  To be clear, dementia is an umbrella term for a group of symptoms that may affect memory loss, physical coordination, and/or moods and personality.  Dementia can affect people of all ages but is most common among the elderly.  Alzheimer’s is a neurological disease and is one of the most common forms of dementia.   

I can tell you from experience that dementia is not easy to detect.  In my grandfather’s case, I assumed some of the strange behavior at the beginning was a result of plain old age.  There was the time he got into a minor fender bender with his car.  Then there was the time he wore a stained shirt because he forgot to put it in the laundry basket.