You probably don’t think that a runny nose is a precursor to brain damage, but new research has shown that minor health problems can eventually lead to an increased risk for dementia. The Canadian Study of Health and Aging analyzed 7,239 people age 65 and older  between 1992 and 2002. The investigators focused on seemingly inconsequential health issues often associated with aging, like sinus complaints, foot and ankle conditions, skin problems and trouble with vision, hearing or dental health. Taken alone, these health conditions are not related to a person’s dementia risk. However, when the investigators combined these relatively minor physical ailments into a single “frailty index”, they found a significant cumulative effect on dementia risk. In the study, each extra health problem increased an otherwise healthy person’s risk of developing dementia by 3 percent, compared with a healthy person without any minor complaints. For instance, a person who began the study with no health complaints had an 18 percent risk of developing dementia over the next decade. By comparison, an otherwise healthy person with eight minor health complaints had a 30 percent risk of developing dementia over the course of the study. A dozen small health complaints increased risk to 40 percent. Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, professor of medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, says “To the general public, it means that trying to maintain good health for as long as possible, not only do you have good health but lower risk of dementia in late life.”

Read more of the article here.

A mouse study by researchers at the University of South Florida has indicated that there is an unidentified component of coffee that prevents against Alzheimer’s disease. This study proves that daily coffee intake is an effective way to prevent against Alzheimer’s.  The interaction of the mystery ingredient with caffeine boosts blood levels of a critical growth factor that seems to fight off the Alzheimer’s disease process. The researchers at USF conducted this study by mimicking symptoms of Alzheimer’s in mice and they found that caffeinated coffee induces an increase in blood levels of a growth factor called GCSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor). GCSF is a substance greatly decreased in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and demonstrated to improve the memory in mice affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Higher blood GCSF levels due to coffee intake were associated with better memory. The researchers identified three ways that GCSF seems to improve memory performance in the Alzheimer’s mice. First, GCSF recruits stem cells from bone marrow to enter the brain and removes the harmful beta-amyloid protein that initiates the disease. GCSF also creates new connections between brain cells and increases the birth of new neurons in the brain.

Read more at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110621093301.htm

You’ve heard it a billion times throughout your life, but now more importantly than ever “Don’t forget to put on sun block” As people age their skin becomes thinner and more delicate. An elder person’s skin is less likely to protect and rejuvenate itself from sun damage. The sun’s rays are the greatest threat to the human skin, so everyone, elders especially, must apply sunscreen in the summer heat.  Although complete isolation from UV rays is the only sure way to prevent skin damage, there are many ways to enjoy the sun while keeping your skin healthy. Try to avoid tanning when you are outside.  Sunbathing is not a good idea for skin that has already endured a lifetime of UV rays.  The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) notes that the sun’s rays are strongest in North America between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, so during these hours try to seek out shady areas. It is recommended to wear SPF 30 sunscreen daily, even if you are not going out in the sun. Sunscreen of this strength is scientifically proven to absorb 97 percent of harmful UV rays, which are able to pass through clouds and glass. Elder skin is prone to dryness, and sun damage will intensify this dryness. Therefore it is also recommended to keep the skin moist with a cream or lotion. A moisture barrier prevents water loss from the epidermis.  One last tip is to wear long protective clothing while you are out enjoying the sun. If you follow these easy steps to prevent sun damage your summer should be a happy and healthy one.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/105235-elderly-skin-care-tips-sun/#ixzz1PqdcYl27

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There are more news everyday coming out about different ways how to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly recent article from naturalnews.com stated that

“pharmaceutical companies continue their campaign to lower the nation’s cholesterol levels with stating drugs, a new study finds that higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is often called “good” cholesterol, appear to be associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease in older adults.
The report, published in the December issue of Archives of Neurology, noted the frequency of both high total cholesterol and Alzheimer’s disease in western societies. Fifty percent of U.S. adults are considered to have high cholesterol, and one percent of adults aged 65 to 69 develop Alzheimer’s disease, with that rate increasing with age to 60 percent of those older than 95 years.

Researchers at Columbia University’s Taub Institute followed 1,130 Medicare recipients 65 and older to study the association of cholesterol levels with Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow are developing a technique based on a new discovery which could pave the way towards detecting Alzheimer’s disease in its earliest stages and could help to develop urgently-needed treatments.

According to medicalnews.com the technique uses the ratio of detected fluorescence signals to indicate that clusters of peptide associated with the disease are beginning to gather and to have an impact on the brain.

Current techniques are not able to see the peptide joining together until more advanced stages but a research paper from Strathclyde describes an approach which could not only give indications of the condition far sooner than is currently possible but could also screen patients without the need for needles or wires. To read more about this please visit here.

” When senior family members or loved ones are suffering from and being treated for depression, the assistance of kind and caring home health care aides can be invaluable. The companionship provided by the aides can help ease feelings of loneliness and isolation that the seniors may experience when left alone in their homes for extended periods of time. The aides can help choose activities, and they provide transportation as well as accompany the seniors to social events and outings. Simply preparing the seniors’ favorite meals or desserts can make them feel cared for and special. Sitting and chatting with the seniors, reading them their mail, and looking at family photos with them can also help alleviate potentially depressive feelings.”

Elderly people can feel isolated or not loved if they are not accompanied on a regular basis or if they loose a loved one. PRIVATE HOME CARE health care aides are there for you to be your friend in good or bad times. Our aides make sure that you not only get the best care, but they are also your friends in any need possible. Sometimes elders can feel really isolated or not loved which can make them feel depressed and lonely. To read more about how depression can effect an elderly person’s life and what its causes are click here.

Recent studies made by researchers from Rush University Medical Center as well as Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston revealed that there is a high possibility of brain cells shrinkage decades before Alzheimer’s disease symptoms appear. The study was made on 32 and 33 people respectively in each study.

Of the 33 people in the Mass General group, eight developed Alzheimer’s over the course of 11 years. In the Rush group, seven of 32 people followed for an average of seven years developed the disease.

About 55 percent of those whose brains were in the upper tertile (third) of atrophy developed Alzheimer’s, while none of those whose brains in the bottom tertile (little or no atrophy) developed Alzheimer’s.

Among those with moderate amounts of atrophy, about 20 percent developed the disease.

“We could differentiate those who would decline from those who would remain healthy,” said senior study author Leyla deToledo-Morrell, director of the graduate program in neuroscience at Rush University Medical Center.

Read more about the possible precaution of Alzheimer’s disease developement by clicking on the following link

From Here to There

Transportation services provided by a home healthcare aide can benefit a senior who no longer drives. Wether it’s a shopping trip to the grocery store or a lift to a doctor’s appointment, the option of “getting around” keeps the senior from feeling trapped and isolated. The aide can take the senior to the salon for a weekly appointment, to an adult day program, and even to a movie or out to lunch. The senior may want to attend weekly religious services. There may be a special family event or a show to attend. A quick trip to the bank or to visit a friend can be facilieted by the aide providing valuable transportation services.

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Fire Away

Seniors who are “aging in place” are at special risk of injury or death caused by fire. Trained non-medical home health aides can take precautions to help prevent fire hazards. They can periodically check smoke detectors to make sure they are in working order. They can check for extension cords that may have frayed wires and make sure that the electrical outlets are not damaged. If seniors use portable heaters, aides can check for curtains or bedding that may be too close and correct any problems they observe. If their clients smoke, aides can be sure those ashtrays are being used and that the contents are allowed to cool before being discarded.

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A CALMING EFFECT  An experienced non-medical home health aide provides valuable assistance to families with a loved one facing the challenges of dementia. Home health aides understand the importance of maintaining a calm environment for their clients. They will make sure the clients are comfortable and that it is not too hot or cold for them. They will reduce noise and clutter in the clients’ environment. They may use music or read quietly to their clients as a method of calming. Maintaining a consistent daily routine, aides will save outings or activities until the clients are rested. They will assist with some sort of regular exercising. Non-medical home health aides can help improve their clients’ quality of life.

“Research has shown that music has a profound effect on your body and psyche. In fact, there’s a growing field of health care known as Music Therapy, which uses music to heal. Those who practice music therapy are finding a benefit in using music to help cancer patients, children with ADD, and others, and even hospitals are beginning to use music and music therapy to help with pain management, to help ward off depression, to promote movement, to calm patients, to ease muscle tension, and for many other benefits that music and music therapy can bring. This is not surprising, as music affects the body and mind in many powerful ways (about.com, 2011 ).”

Here are some of the benefits music therapy has on people’s body functioning:

1. Brain Waves

2. Breathing and Heart

3. State of mind

4. Other Benefits (lower blood presure, boost immunity, ease muscle tension)

To see more information about music therapy please click on about.com