In the News

Collaborative Care "Wave of the Future" for Alzheimer's Treatment

According to a study published recently in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), collobarative care (which includes medication and behavioral treatment) has been shown to improve the psychological symptoms of Alzheimer's patients and reduce caregiver stress. In the study, which lasted more than a year and involved 150 Alzheimer's patients, randomly selected patients were treated collaboratively by a team of specialists, led by a physician and a geriatric nurse practitioner who acted as a care manager. The study results show a treatment model called "intensive management" as particularly effective in the primary care setting for Alzheimer's patients.

Study patients who received intensive, collaborative care were more likely to be prescribed cholinesterase inhibitor drugs, which can improve memory, concentration, and attention. Patients and their caregivers were also taught communication and coping skills. As a result, patients were found to have fewer behavioral and psychological dementia symptoms, and their caregivers reported experiencing less stress and depression than the caregivers of those who did not receive collaborative treatment. Dr. Richard Schultz, Associate Director of the University of Pittsburgh's Institute on Aging, was excited that the intensive management model was finally being tested in the primary care setting, hailing the treatment approach as "the wave of the future." Read More

Depression Ups Risk for Nursing Home Admission

A new study by researchers in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. links unmanaged depression in seniors to a higher risk of nursing home admission. The authors of the study analyzed data from a variety of sources, including the Health Outcomes Survey, the Nursing Home Minimum Data Set, and the Medicare Enrollment Database. They concluded that depressive symptoms were the third greatest predictor for subsequent nursing home admission, after diabetes and heart failure.

While no one is sure of the exact nature of the link between depression and nursing home admission, many studies have shown that depression is often correlated with poor eating habits, increased alcohol consumption, and higher levels of certain risk factors for cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. Whatever the cause, study authors recommend that adults receive a three-question assessment of their mood at every doctor visit to better diagnose depression early on. Read More

Caregiver Characteristics Might Link to Alzheimer's Symptoms

A new study appears to show a link between certain caregiver characteristics, such as youth, heavy burden, and depression, and neuropsychiatric Alzheimer's symptoms, such as wandering, paranoia, and hallucination. The study surveyed 5,788 caregivers in eight U.S. cities, all of whom were caring for patients living in the community.

Researchers cited a variety of reasons for the link: Younger caregivers may not be as familiar with the illness as older caregivers, who are most often spouses with experience with the patient's pre-Alzheimer's habits and proclivities. In addition, less-educated caregivers may not have a good understanding of dementia or of coping skills for dealing with stress. As for depressed and heavily burdened caregivers, study authors believe it is difficult to tell whether the depression and stress are contributing to the symptoms, or the other way around. Whatever the cause, overburdened caregivers are encouraged to ask for help and support, and to get educated as to what some of the behaviors represent and the behavioral or environmental ways to deal with them. Read More

Do America's Elderly Face A Growing Drug Addiction Problem?

Many older Americans begin taking OxyContin or other opiates for back pain, arthritis, or a host of other ailments. Before long, those succeptible to addiction are in the grips of the disease. According to a national government survey of 495,859 emergency-room visits in the United States in 2004 for the non-medical use of pharmaceuticals, 32,556 were by people aged 55 to 64 years and 31,203 were by people over the age of 65. The most commonly abused prescription drugs are opiates like OxyContin and Vicodin. Experts fear a coming epidemic of older Americans with substance abuse problems as the baby boom generation—assumed to be comfortable with taking prescription drugs for a range of ailments, from depression to insomnia to pain—ages. Another government survey estimates that the number of Americans aged 50 or older with substance abuse problems will top 5 million by 2020.

Caregivers are encouraged to work with their care recipient's doctor to monitor the use of potentially addictive prescription drugs, such as opiates, benzodiazepines, and sedatives. Read More

Baby Boomers Renovate Homes to Accommodate Their Parents

Recently, AARP designed a course for contractors that is overseen by the National Association of Home Builders. The three-day Certified Aging-in-Place Program is the fastest growing course they have to offer. And the 2000 Census—the first to ask questions about different generations living under the same roof—found that 4 percent (3.9 million) of U.S. households have three or more generations living together, with a third of those including parents who have invited grandparents to move in. Read More

To subscribe or unsubscribe to California Caregiver, please visit www.californiacrc.org/californiacrc/jsp/newsletter/registration.jsp