In the News

November is National Family Caregivers Month

November marks a time to honor family caregivers. On October 30, President Bush made his customary annual proclamation of National Family Caregivers Month. The president noted, "Family caregivers exemplify the true spirit of compassion by providing support to their loved ones and assisting with their everyday activities and special needs. Their assistance provides those who may be ill, aging, or disabled an opportunity to stay in familiar surroundings and remain a part of their community."

The president did not mention the numbers, but they are striking: According to new research by health economist Peter Arno, the estimated annual value of unpaid services provided by family caregivers to their loved ones is now $306 billion, a 19 percent increase in the past four years. California has the largest caregiving economy with an annual market value of over $36 billion. "Families are the mainstay of our long-term care system, with nearly 80 percent of long-term care provided in the home, not in institutions," said Kathleen Kelly, executive director of Family Caregiver Alliance. Join us in honoring family caregivers this November. Read More

Changing Minds in Alzheimer's Research

A century-old approach to Alzheimer's research may be about to change. Ever since Alois Alzheimer first presented his findings on plaques and tangles in the brains of dementia patients in 1906, scientists have worked backward to discover what causes the plaques, which were assumed to be the cause of dementia. But recently, researchers have begun to wonder whether the brain anomalies are not merely symptoms of a more subtle and complex disease process.

The traditional belief has been that dementia is inevitable for people over a certain age. But that view point has changed; some people live past the age of 100 without ever developing the disease. And while genetics are involved, their role is not clear-cut. New research suggests that Alzheimer's and dementia may have more to do with environment than previously thought. In fact, the disease probably results from an intricate interaction between genetic and environmental factors. One new study involving a diabetes medication pointed to a dysfunction in the way certain brain cells use glucose, leading to neuron damage. With dietary and other environmental factors at the forefront of new Alzheimer's research, one thing is becoming clear: Lifestyle matters. Read More

Dementia on the Rise in Aging Populations

As life expectancy continues to rise across the globe, and more and more people in developed countries can expect to live into their 90s, they can also expect something else: Dementia. A new study published in the international medical journal PLoS Medicine used data from 2,500 older Britons who had had a dementia assessment within one year before their deaths. Those who died between the ages of 65 and 69 had a 6 percent chance of dying with dementia, while those who died above the age of 95 had a 58 percent chance of dying with dementia. Women were more likely to develop dementia than men, and a higher level of education slightly reduced the chance of developing dementia before death.

An accompanying perspective on the study suggests that preventive measures may be effective in delaying the onset of dementia, but they will not be able to delay it indefinitely. For this reason, societies with aging populations should begin preparing for large numbers of elderly dementia patients. Read More

Quality Measures Could Improve End-of-Life Care

One in five deaths in the United States now occurs in an intensive care unit (ICU) or shortly after receiving intensive care. Recently, a number of researchers have collaborated to produce a special supplement to the medical journal Critical Care Medicine on the issues related to ICU deaths.

One researcher points out that the quality of life in an ICU at the end of life is often rated as poor, but notes, "Over the past five years there have been encouraging signs of improvement... Interventions have been developed, evaluated, and published to improve the care that patients and their families receive relating to the end of life in the ICU." Journal articles are presented that examine the potential for outcome measures and candidate quality measures to improve care; some suggest changes that could be implemented in ICUs as soon as tomorrow. Read More

Study: Marijuana May Slow Memory Loss

A new study examining the effects of a marijuana-based drug on elderly rats has researchers buzzing. When a group of older rats was given the drug WIN (a synthetic compound similar to marijuana), they showed improvement in memory tests. Chronic inflammation is associated with the progression of Alzheimer's disease, and marijuana is known to have potent anti-inflammatory effects, which could explain the link.

Gary Wenk, co-author of the study and professor of psychology at Ohio State University, noted that evidence suggests that people who regularly smoked marijuana in the 1960s and 1970s rarely develop Alzheimer's. Wenk and his colleagues are eager to develop a drug with the same powerful anti-inflammatory effects of marijuana, but without the psychoactive properties. Ironically, the drug that erased memories thirty years ago could help some hang onto them a little longer tomorrow. Read More

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