A major breakthrough in Alzheimer's research could lead to new and more effective ways of treating the disease, according to a recently released study in the Journal of Neuroscience. Researchers at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience may have discovered how the Amyloid beta peptide creates cognitive dysfunction.
March 15, 2013
Alzheimer's disease is very good at taking. It takes away memories. It takes away personalities. It can be argued that Alzheimer's essentially takes away a person's essence. And as almost anyone who has spent time in a senior living facility can tell you, it can also take away sexual inhibitions.
March 01, 2013
Virginia — State Sen. Bill Stanley (R) has introduced a bill requiring that nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other certified nursing facilities obtain minimum levels of insurance. If SB70 becomes law, affected facilities would have to maintain liability coverage of at least $1 million, and have levels of professional liability insurance defined by the state's medical malpractice caps.
The Food and Drug Administration issued guidance in February for clinical trials for early-stage Alzheimer's medications.
December 05, 2012
I'm fascinated with long-term care topics that at first blush might seem to be speaking to residents, but upon closer reflection are personally even more interesting to long-term care workers or others.
Federal health officials have agreed to changes in Medicare coverage rules that would make it easier for beneficiaries with chronic conditions to qualify for nursing home stays, outpatient therapy and home healthcare services, according to reports.
Rates for five of the top 15 causes of death have fallen significantly over the past year, though overall lifespan has stayed the same, a government analysis found.
Identifying traits of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) a condition that frequently precedes Alzheimer's can help families and clinicians get an earlier jump on Alzheimer's treatments, a study finds.
September 07, 2012
Football has become our national sport. This wonderful, tough game has been turning boys into men for generations. But it may also be turning men into nursing home residents way before their time.
If seniors have to pay a higher portion of their medical costs, it could lead to their financial ruin, especially if they have dementia, a study asserts.
September 04, 2012
Memory care can be taxing on a caregiver. When a staff member is consistently charged with caring for more advanced Alzheimer's residents, the care can be even more stressful.
A new technology using electromagnetism and computer-based cognitive training has been a "game changer" in improving Alzheimer's symptoms, according to Harvard investigators.
Alzheimer's disease appears to progress more slowly in adults over 80, investigators have found. As a result, this type of late-onset Alzheimer's disease may be more difficult to detect and treat.
The tendency of Alzheimer's patients to wander at night could be tied to the quantity of daylight they're exposed to, new research finds. As a result, experts say that "light therapy" could be helpful in treating this behavior.
Alzheimer's researchers met with disappointment Monday when officials from Pfizer announced that the experimental drug bapineuzumab failed to improve dementia symptoms in a Phase 3 trial.
Treatment with an experimental intravenous Alzheimer's medication stabilized dementia symptoms for a sustained period in trial participants, new research reveals. Investigators called it a "first" in Alzheimer's research.
Dementia patients who were able to receive in-home treatment delayed nursing home admission, new research says.
Regulations issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning Medicaid coverage for home- and community-based services has been too vague for Alzheimer's advocates.
Alzheimer's researchers got a huge boost last week with the publication of a study showing that a rare genetic mutation prevents the buildup of beta amyloid in the brain.
Alzheimer's experts say it's hard to quantify how often it happens, but findings from an ongoing study has found that one-third of Alzheimer's disease diagnoses were incorrect.
Federal officials revealed more specifics on the Obama administration's Alzheimer's initiative, including details of two new clinical trials.
May 14, 2012
Most people with dementia don't die in nursing homes after all. In fact, they are more likely to spend their final days at home, a new study finds.
May 05, 2012
The aging of the American population and the healthcare issues that go with it are creating a demographic earthquake that will shake our current system of healthcare to the core. We are on our way to becoming a nation of caregivers, a job description we are largely unprepared to fill.
Nursing homes could see an uptick in admissions as many states grapple with cuts to respite care services, recent reports suggest.
A bipartisan group of Congressional lawmakers introduced a resolution Tuesday in support of the Obama administration's goal of finding a treatment for Alzheimer's by 2025.
April 19, 2012
Have you heard? Yes, it's true. We can now provide therapy co-treatment with another discipline WITHOUT splitting our treatment time. But, not so fast ...
April 19, 2012
Last week, a funny thing happened: For once, I was not the first person I know to post a nursing home-related story to my Facebook page.
Roughly 42% of U.S. assisted living residents has Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, and about 70% are women, according to a newly published data brief.
April 06, 2012
I wonder how the staff at my mother's nursing home could handle so much sadness. Perhaps it was because they knew how to listen with their hearts.
The $80 million President Obama designated to Alzheimer's research could have more strings attached to it than previously thought, a key senator has said.
