As we age we need to keep our brains healthy by doing new things.  Unfortunately the old saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks is a pattern we all tend to fall into.  We tend to fall into patterns of behavior that we are used to and comfortable with so do many thing involed in our daily lives the same way over and over.  The old saying "if it isn't broke don't fix it" becomes the reasoning for our behavior especially as we age. But if we do the same thing over and over as your brain gets used to the patterns and isn't challenged the way you need it to be to keep it young and fresh so try variations on what you know.   For some folks, it might be games, for others puzzles others searching for new cooking recipes or learning a new hobby.  Find something you like and continue to try challenges and new variations.  If you like crosswords, proceed to a more challenging string or try your hands at a word game when was the last time you played Scrabble or a similar game with a friend.  If you prefer to cook, try a completely different type of food, or try baking in the event that you've mostly been cooking over the stove.  If your spouse doesn't like new foods great say hello to a neighbor and bring them a dish to try.  It can help you to connect to a neighbor or make a new friend.

Taking on a new topic is an excellent way to keep it fresh and challenge your mind to learn.  Have you always wanted to learn another language?  Learn how to play golf even Wi golf or bowling is a new activity but is much less physically demanding so may be a good alternative?  There are many inexpensive classes at community centers or community colleges that allow you to tackle new topics.  Many community colleges have free classes for seniors so inquire on options available it is a great way to get out and challenge yourself which will keep your mind active. 

Volunteering is also a great way to learn about a new area.  Taking courses and volunteering is a wonderful way to boost social relations, which can be another brain strengthener.

There are good reasons for keeping your brain active as your body.  Keeping your brain active and exercising, by maintaining imagination can help to prevent memory issues and cognitive decline.  The more energetic and social you are and the more you use and sharpen your brain, the more benefits you'll get.  This is especially true if your livelihood no longer challenges you personally or if you've retired from work altogether.

Try to work in something fresh and new in every day.   Attempt to work in something new each day, whether it is taking a different route to work or your supermarket or brushing your teeth using another hand (besides brushing your teeth with your other hand will probably make you smile when you’re looking in the mirror).

Let the professionals at A Caring Hand for Mom (and Dad) help you we have over 30 years of experience and are happy to help in any way we can, so call us at 800-881-7706 and visit our website bog for more interesting articles.

When someone has dementia or afflicted by Alzheimer's disease, life won't ever be the same.  This condition isn't only affecting the one who has that illness but also family or loved ones.  It is a major concern when you know that your parent has Alzheimer's and should the time to begin planning for the years to come. Speaking with your parent about items like Powers of attorney for financial, medical and mental health are critical before the disease progresses to the point of their inability to grant either yourself or an attorney the power to act in their behalf when the time comes that they are no longer able to do that.

For years, they may have been living alone during thier retirement but once they are diagnosed with that disease, you should understand that living separately will eventually no longer be an option. Alzheimer's advances at different rates and it will not be safe to let your parent live alone.  Considering whether you  have the time to take good care of them full time will be a part of what you need to consider.  The next best thing you can do is to find him the right solution to provide a safe place for senior people with Alzheimer's.  It is more than simply looking for a retirement home for your father but more to locate senior assisted living specialized for Memory Care facilities.  Memory care is a type of assisted living facility built to provide care for individuals suffering for Alzheimer or dementia.  Those conditions required specific treatments and this type of assisted living will offer that sort of treatment.  It will be a difficult process since you are looking for a place where your parent will live for years to come.  It is vital to make sure the facility has comfortable, safe, and friendly surroundings and allow him to have good quality of life.  It would be challenging as you need to also consider the cost for the center along with their care.   That means finding an assisted living referral agency to help give you professional advice and assistance to find the best assisted living facility suitable for your parents needs and budget.  A Caring Hand for Mom is one of the top Arizona senior referral agencies with over 25 years of experience and well-respected reputation (BBB A+ rated). No wonder they have comprehensive and extensive knowledge about this business.  It has complete directory of assisted living facilities throughout the State of Arizona including facilities like top memory care facilities.  It is possible to ask for assistance to find and choose assisted living facilities in Peoria AZ and they'll provide expert advice and recommendations.  Do not be afraid to call this organization and schedule a consultation with one of its team members.  These professionals are more than happy to hear about the condition you're dealing will provide suggestions and help you find facilities acceptable for your parent.  They iwill help you find affordable options that provide the care your parent needs.   It's guaranteed, it will not be long until the ideal solution is located and the best part is our services are FREE for our clients so don't be afraid to call us today at 800-881-7706 and visit our website at https://www.acaringhandformom.com

Israeli researchers discover Alzheimer’s trigger

Researchers at Be'er Sheva's Ben-Gurion University discover protein which may be key to preventing Alzheimer's.

Ben-Gurion University via JTA, 21/10/17 19:47re

Israeli researchers have discovered that the amount of a specific protein is severely reduced in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease caused by brain cell death. Currently there is no cure, but according to researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), we now know what may trigger it.

Dr. Debbie Toiber, of the BGU Department of Life Sciences, and her team discovered that a specific protein — Sirtuin-6 (SIRT6) — is severely reduced in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. SIRT6 is critical to the repair of DNA, the deterioration of which “is the beginning of the chain that ends in neurodegenerative diseases in seniors,” she explains.

Dr. Toiber and her team are examining DNA damage as the cause of aging and age-related diseases. DNA in each cell breaks down due to natural causes, such as metabolism and the usage of the DNA to produce proteins. She discovered that as a person ages, the amount of the SIRT6 protein in the brain declines. In fact, according to Dr. Toiber, “In Alzheimer’s patients, it is almost completely gone.”

The blood-brain barrier prevents us from simply being able to inject the protein into the brain to replenish its supply. Dr. Toiber is currently working on finding a way to increase the expression of the protein into the brain.

When the DNA is damaged, Dr. Toiber elaborates, it may lose important information. “If a cell feels it is too dangerous to continue with this damaged DNA, it may activate a self-destruct mechanism. If too many cells do this, the tissue with the dying cells will deteriorate, such as the brain.”

DNA damage is inevitable on some level by simply living, with the environment causing additional damage. “We repair it and continue going on. But the repairs are not perfect and some DNA remains unrepaired. As you get older, unrepaired DNA accumulates.”

Dr. Toiber acknowledges that healthy habits like good diet and exercise might make a difference in our DNA health. She points out that engaging in sports and even working past retirement can challenge the body in positive ways, preparing your cells to react more readily and thus be more likely able to repair themselves.

Even so, you can’t avoid the effects of aging entirely. “You have to remember that half of everyone over the age of 95 will get Alzheimer’s,” she says. “It is not something genetic or environmental. That may influence it a little bit, but when there is a 50-50 chance of getting Alzheimer’s, it demonstrates that it just happens over a lifetime.”

She concludes, “We should be focusing our research on how to maintain production of SIRT6 and improve the repair capacity of the DNA damage that leads to neurodegenerative diseases.”

This article was shared from Isreali national news.

If you are struggling with caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia and are considering alternative care or just need support call us today at 800-881-7706 and visit our website www.acaringhandformom.com for information on Arizona assisted Living options.  Our staff consists of licensed healthcare professionals who can help guide you throughout the transition and find a local memory care options near you, so call us today at 800-881-7706.

Fighting dementia through healthy eating, when is it time to consider a Memory care facility

Alzheimer’s dementia is one of the most common memory degenerative disorders worldwide. There are over 47 million people suffering from various forms of dementia in the world and with the “population aging” and increased life expectancy this is estimated to be over 75 million by the year 2030. In the United States, one in 8 people over the age of 65 years are living with dementia.

With such a significant health burden, many research studies are being done to help adults with degenerative memory disorders cope better with the disease and prolong the development of symptoms. As symptoms progress many have sought assisted living options or specialized memory care communities that were built to care for the adults with degenerative memory diseases. There are numerous Assisted Living in Scottsdale locations and Senior living in Scottsdale locations with secure environments or dedicated memory care units as well as additional specialized Memory care locations throughout Arizona.  In this article we discuss how your diet and healthy eating can help slow the symptoms and progression of the disease as well as discuss how Memory Care Scottsdale communities, which were specially constructed to accommodate adults with memory and cognitive disorders can help. (They are constructed with easy to navigate and familiar environments, 24/7 surveillance and supervision to care for your loved ones).

Many of the studies have focused on eating healthy and on certain diet therapies that help with memory disorders.  Nutrition plays an important role in the progression of the disease. As the progression of dementia occurs it is very common for adults to experience loss of appetite. This translates to reduced eating due to lack of appetite, lack of supervision at meal times or simply increased confusion which leads to nutritional imbalance and worsening of the disease symptoms much quicker. Senior Living Scottsdale facilities and other Assisted Living facilities throughout Arizona have specially trained staff to help take care of the nutritional needs of your loved ones. There are dieticians who can provide individualized diets customized for each adult. Many studies have shown with early onset medications and properly balanced diets with restricted salt and saturated fats there has been a significant delays in the onset of symptoms. At assisted living facilities in Arizona, and Memory Care Scottsdale facilities, dietitians and healthcare staff implement the latest evidence-based care to improve the quality of the life of their residents.

Although the cause for the development of this disease is multifactorial a study published in the Neurobiology of aging has mentioned seven sets of dietary and lifestyle guidelines that may delay the onset of dementia and other memory disorders. The study has highlighted the importance of reducing saturated fats and Trans fats. (This means replacing animal fat with healthy oils and reducing items such as red meat intake. Also, consuming vegetable, whole grains and other foods high in protein fiber and vitamins like, vitamin E should come from natural sources such as nuts and green leafy vegetables).  You should also take at multi-vitamin with at least the minimal recommended levels of Vitamin B12 (2.4 micrograms per day) should come from fortified food supplements as well as minimize exposure to baking powder, aluminum products, and antacids. Include aerobic workouts to your routine. With these interventions, the onset of symptoms may be delayed.

Another study has highlighted the importance of the trace minerals like iron, and zinc as well as micronutrients like vitamins which play a major role in the delay of dementia and helps improve cognitive functions. Anti-oxidant and flavonoids have played a significant role in reducing oxidative substances that damage your memory cells and help to retain brain function.  Melons, Papaya, wild berries, dark chocolate, and pecans have high anti-oxidant content and are helpful in delaying the onset of symptoms. 

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids which are essential fatty acids in the formation of compounds DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) are important for the development of the brain and neural structures. A study done based on Omega fatty acids have shown that diet rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 have significantly delayed the development of early signs and symptoms of Dementia.  Deep sea fish, tuna, Salmon and fish liver are rich sources of these natural essential fatty acids. At memory care Scottsdale locations, assisted living facilities in Arizona and Scottsdale, dieticians and your healthcare provider can make sure your loved one receives these optimal nutrients to help them fight dementia and prolong the onset of symptoms. 

Across the world, many experimental studies have been done to find the significance of identifying the symptoms of the disease early. Timely diagnosis and treatment studies define “timely diagnosis” as diagnosing the condition with the earliest elicited symptoms. Based upon this study showing proper medical and memory enhancing therapeutics received by early diagnosed individuals showed delayed memory deterioration.  Assisted living facility care received at the early stages has showed improved coping with the disease, better adaptation and reduced agitation and anxiety that develop later in the disease.

With early diagnosis and proper medical supervision from your physician as well as moving to one of the Assisted Living Scottsdale or Assisted Living Arizona locations your loved one will receive the proper medical and therapeutic supervision and care needed. This should help to delay the onset or progression of symptoms of the disease and with family and staff support, help your loved ones cope better with the disease. 

Call us today if you would like additional information at 800-881-7706 and visit our website at www.acaringhandformom.com.

References: Robinson, L., Tang, E., & Taylor, J. (2015). Dementia: timely diagnosis and early intervention. BMJ, 350(jun15 14), h3029-h3029. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h3029

Morris, M., Tangney, C., Wang, Y., Sacks, F., Bennett, D., & Aggarwal, N. (2015). MIND diet associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 11(9), 1007-1014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.11.009

Mitchell, J., & Kemp, B. (2000). Quality of Life in Assisted Living Homes: A Multidimensional Analysis. The Journals Of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences And Social Sciences, 55(2), P117-P127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geronb/55.2.p117

Swaminathan, A., & Jicha, G. A. (2014). Nutrition and prevention of Alzheimer’s dementia. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 6, 282. http://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2014.00282

Thomas, J., Thomas, C. J., Radcliffe, J., & Itsiopoulos, C. (2015). Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Early Prevention of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Disease: A Focus on Alzheimer’s Disease. BioMed Research International, 2015, 172801. http://doi.org/10.1155/2015/172801

Dietary and lifestyle guidelines for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease. (2017). Sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197458014003480