Keeping Busy to Ward Off Alzheimer's Disease

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I always enjoy your blog.

Alzheimer's Team of AZ 1:29PM December 15, 2008

Besides keeping busy, one should eat right and not smoke.
Also challenge your brain. Try new things and do old things in new ways.
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com

Susan Berg of MA 3:36PM June 19, 2008

It's true that in some cases Alzheimer's Disease starts quite early. It's also true that individuals likely will be working longer and living longer than past generations. What's needed is a practical program consisting of multiple components (nutrition, exercise, mental workouts) that can help people extend cognitive function over time, so they can stay productive in retirement, since for most people this 'retirement' is going to be greatly elongated while there also is predicted to be a shortage of employees in the future in many professions. Jim's story shows a living example of maintaining 'cognitive reserve' to stay at a high level of capability.

Michael Addicott of CA 12:11PM June 19, 2008

I was a senior executive at a fortune 1000 company with the goal of working until I was sixty-five and leading my own company as a Chief Executive Officer. However, at age 48, I began to present the symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s disease. My symptoms included insomnia, speech difficulties, a problem with focus and concentration and a general problem with spatial awareness. As a result, I left work to seek a medical diagnosis and treatment. My desire was to identify and treat my problem and return to the workplace and resume my career. Unfortunately, after eighteen months and five separate diagnoses of early onset Alzheimer’s disease, I was forced to retire and seek Social Security disability.
Today, I spend my time and energy advocating for the National Alzheimer’s Association and raising awareness of the disease. All Americans should know the following facts:
• A person contracts Alzheimer’s disease every 71 seconds.
• A person dies from Alzheimer’s disease every 8 minutes.
• Alzheimer’s disease is fatal in all cases.
• No medication is available to slow the progression of the disease.
• As many as 5.2 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer’s
disease and other related dementias.
• Between 200 and 500 thousand people with Alzheimer’s disease are
under the age of 65.
• 26 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s or other related dementias
worldwide.
• By mid-century, it is anticipated as many as 16 million Americans
will have Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias.
• 10 million “baby boomers” will contract Alzheimer’s disease in their
lifetime.
• Federal funding for Alzheimer’s research has not been increased for
the past three years; less than 1 million dollars per year have been
allocated to fund research seeking a cure.
• Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S.
• Death attributed to Alzheimer’s disease increased by 44.7% between
2000 and 2005.