Alzheimer’s/Dementia

Maria Shriver hosts exercise fundraiser for Alzheimer’s

Maria Shriver has launched a new initiative, the MOVE FOR MINDS experience, to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s research while also promoting a healthy lifestyle, which has been shown to improve brain health.  Read More »

The story of mental decline

If you had the beginning stages of dementia, would you want to know? SNF resident blogger Kathleen mears weighs whether ignorance is bliss. Read More »

Alzheimer’s Association funds drug study for inherited, young-onset disease

Catching dementia early matters—especially with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, where time is life. Read More »

TBI and dementia

Does a person with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have an increased chance of developing dementia in later years? Researchers are building a massive database to study the risks. Read More »

Buzzfeed gets serious about Alzheimer’s disease

Click all the crying emoji and GIFs for this serious Buzzfeed production about loving someone with Alzheimer’s disease. The film is a departure from the company’s addicting quizzes, life hacks and lighthearted videos.  Read More »

FDA approves first drug for Parkinson’s psychosis

People with Parkinson's disease may get a new lease on life as the FDA fast-tracks a new treatment to curb the psychotic hallucinations that often accompany the disease. Read More »

Sunrise Senior Living donates $75k to Alzheimer’s Association

Sunrise Senior Living will make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association's Brain Ball in honor of national honoree Thomas J. DeRosa, CEO of Welltower, Inc. Read More »

Working challenged

When an aide quits unexpectedly, it can really disrupt a nursing home's routines. SNF resident blogger Kathleen Mears tells how two aides managed to do the work of three when a sudden staff shortage caught everyone by surprise. Read More »

Studying the brain on the MIND diet

The National Institute of Aging is funding a study to see whether the Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet is an effective strategy to slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.   Read More »

Protein injection ‘promising’ as new Alzheimer’s treatment

Researchers have discovered a protein that can "digest plaque" and reverse cognitive decline in mice. But how do we translate the idea to humans? Read More »

Seniors tell their stories to ward off memory loss

Older Americans say it's important to maintain or improve brain health. The Administration for Community Living, in partnership with Oakland, Calif.-based Statebridge senior theatre company, is helping seniors take center stage and share their stories.  Read More »

2016 Leaders of Tomorrow: Awa Diouf

In our fourth installment of the Leaders of Tomorrow award winners, Awa Diouf is leading the culture change in memory care activities programming at The Residence at Watertown in Watertown, Mass.  Read More »

Advanced dementia doesn’t lead to more ED visits, study shows

Residents with mild or no dementia are more likely to make a trip to the emergency department than residents with severe dementia, says a new study by the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research. Read More »

2016 Leaders of Tomorrow: Debra Gallimore, RN

In our first installment of the 2016 Leaders of Tomorrow award winners, we honor Debra Gallimore, RN, Director of Nursing at Skyline Health and Rehabilitation Center in Floyd, Va. She may be one of the youngest DONs the community has had, but you'll have a difficult time finding someone who knows more about her staff's job roles—she's done most of them herself. Read More »

Arizona State University to build CCRC on campus

The university wants to build a continuing care retirement community on campus. The CCRC could appeal to the roughly 30,000 alumni age 65 and up dwelling in Arizona who want to relive their college years. Only, this time class is optional.  Read More »

Light therapy helps people with dementia sleep

A pilot study by Ecumen found residents exposed to bright lights for at least 30 minutes a day had fewer sleep disturbances, behavioral episodes and needed less antipsychotic medication—all without any adverse side effects to the light.  Read More »

Older women have less cognition loss—and less quickly—than men

Researchers examined the effects of aging on cognitive functioning. They found normal age-related memory and cognition decline may occur at an earlier age and at a faster rate in healthy older men compared to healthy older women.   Read More »

New clues in the link between Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes

Researchers have found that Alzheimer’s disease impairs the part of the brain that regulates metabolism. That means people with dementia may be more likely to develop diabetes. Read More »

‘Alive Inside’ director to keynote Memory Care Forum

Michael Rossato-Bennett, the writer, director and producer of the award-winning documentary “Alive Inside,” will speak at the Institute for the Advancement of Senior Care’s Memory Care Forum in Philadelphia on how music therapy can improve the quality of life for people with dementia. Read More »

New drug could become first FDA-approved treatment for Parkinson’s disease pyschosis

A new drug treatment for Parkinson’s disease psychosis has been given a major thumbs-up by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) committee, a crucial step in the agency's drug-approval process. If the drug eventually receives full FDA approval, it will be the first treatment of its kind, researchers say. Read More »

AMDA names 2016 medical director of the year

A St. Petersburg, Fla. senior living medical director is AMDA's top CMD for 2016. Read More »

USF study: Brain exercise lets seniors drive on

University of South Florida researchers say certain types of brain exercise can improve reaction times, staving off cognitive decline and letting seniors hang onto a key piece of independence: a driver's license. Read More »

Focused Dementia Care Surveys: What You Need to Know

CMS is moving forward with new surveyor tools for facilities that offer dementia care. does your staff know how to document for the new survey? Read More »

A short stack a day may keep the Alzheimer’s away

New studies show eating blueberries improved brain function and activity in people with mild cognitive impairment. Pure maple syrup may prevent the formation of brain plaque and fibrillation of beta amyloid proteins. All of which is to say: eat to your health.  Read More »

Autumn Leaves launches music experience program at 40 memory care sites

The senior living chain is adding music experience outings to its individualized music in memory care program. Read More »

Recovering memories ‘lost’ by Alzheimer’s disease

People with early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease can still make new memories, but a lack of sensory input connections prevent them from storing and later accessing those memories. Researchers tested a form of artificial stimulation that helped mice remember, suggesting potential new treatments.  Read More »

A lesson on Alzheimer’s disease

Children at one Denver school study the history of and write about Alzheimer’s disease. The multi-subject curriculum on memory care is designed to make children less scared and confused about what changes might be happening with an aging loved one.  Read More »

Gathering the gray cells

Editor-in-Chief Pamela Tabar jumps into the data pool to help find a cure for Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders. Have you checked out the Brain Health Registry yet? Read More »

Paint me a memory

For people with cognitive impairment, a picture is worth more than any words. Read about memory care programs that harness the power of art to engage residents and help them express themselves. Read More »

Reduce Alzheimer’s risk by brushing your teeth

Researchers have found periodontitis, or gum disease, is associated with an increase in cognitive decline among people with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.  Read More »