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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
The National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners has named a former OPTIMA award winner the educator of the year for educating—and inspiring—frontline staff on dementia care. Read More »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Skateboarder Tony Hawk shares his mother’s progression with Alzheimer's disease and encourages others to reach out and connect while there’s still time. Read More »
Researchers found the toxic beta-amyloid protein is distributed differently in people with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a rare language dementia, versus the memory dementia in the early stages. That could result in more targeted treatment plans. Read More »
Poor training in dementia care documentation can get a facility a pile of deficiencies in a big hurry, explains a national consultant in survey-related regulatory issues. Read More »
Attendees at the Memory Care Forum in Austin, Texas, share their communities' most successful strategies and programs for engaging residents with dementia. Read More »
People aren't perfect. Neither are memory care facilities. Consultant Michael Gill advises how to keep dementia residents and their loved ones happy by helping families to set realistic facility and caregiving expectations from the start. Read More »
What makes for an enjoyable bathing experience for some may not be the best strategy for those with dementia. Read tips from a national dementia expert on how to avoid struggles and fears in residents with cognitive decline at bathing time. Read More »
Canadian lawmakers introduced a bill today that would form a national strategy to grapple with the social, economic and medical costs of Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias. Last year, a similar bill was defeated by a single vote. Read More »
Researchers have found ‘neurostatin’ targets the first step of the reaction that leads to Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting a preventative treatment plan similar to how statins reduce the risk of heart disease. Read More »
State legislators failed to pass a bill that would have required nursing home employees to learn how and be assessed on how they care for people with dementia. Read More »
Fewer senior housing organizations plan to pursue new construction in 2016, but plenty plan to do some renovating and repositioning for a better service mix, notes the latest survey data from Lancaster Pollard. Read More »
Researchers don't know much about primary progressive aphasia, a neurological syndrom that makes it difficult for people to express their thougths. It's often mistaken for dementia, though most people are able to remain independent. Read More »
Researchers have grown human neurons and cells that mimic the brain's structures and functions. The mini-brains could eliminate the need for animal drug testing, the results of which are often unreliable in humans. Read More »
