There’s potentially good news to share with readers in the fight against an incurable disease that affects as many as 5.4 million Americans. A new drug candidate may be the first capable of halting the devastating mental decline of Alzheimer’s disease, based on the findings of by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif.

When given to mice with Alzheimer’s, the drug – known as J147 – improved memory and prevented brain damage caused by the incurable disease. The new compound could be tested for treatment of the disease in humans in the near future, according to researchers.

Because of the broad ability of J147 to protect nerve cells, the researchers believe that it also may be effective for treating other neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease, as well as stroke.

 Home Instead Senior Care has several web resources to help.www.HelpforAlzheimersFamilies.com we also offer specialized training for our CAREGivers called CARE. ( Changing Aging Through Research and Education) This program also includes free Family CAregiver Training!

For more on “Potential Alzheimer’s Drug,” check out the April 2012 Senior Advisor.

According to the 2012 edition of Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, published annually by the Alzheimer’s Association, at present, “5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease”; that’s one out of every eight seniors in the U.S.

  In addition, “Payments for care are estimated to be $200 billion in 2012”—a cost that would be even higher were it not for the 15 million Americans providing unpaid care to Alzheimer’s/dementia patients at an estimated annual value of $210 billion.  This report also indicates that, “An estimated 800,000 individuals with Alzheimer’s (or one in seven) live alone…Of those who have Alzheimer’s and live alone, up to half of them do not have an identifiable caregiver.”  Also of potential interest is the section of this report that offers state-level data on Alzheimer’s and other dementias.  

 Link (to “Quick Facts” report overview; this page also offers access to the full report): http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_facts_and_figures.asp#quickfacts

 STRESS – How Stressed Are You?

Rate yourself as to how you typically react in each of the situations listed below. There are no right or wrong answers.

4 = Always
3 = Frequently
2 = Sometimes
1 = Never

Enter a number for each question. When you complete the questionnaire, add up you total number of points and type it in the box. An answer key is provided below.

____ Do you try to do as much as possible in the least amount of time?
____ Do you become impatient with delays or interruptions?
____ Do you always have to win at games to enjoy yourself?
____ Do you find yourself speeding up the car to beat the red light?
____ Are you unlikely to ask for or indicate you need help with a problem?
____ Do you constantly seek the respect and admiration of others?
____ Are you overly critical of the way other do their work?
____ Do you have the habit of looking at your watch or clock often?
____ Do you constantly strive to better your position and achievements?
____ Do you spread yourself “too thin” in terms of your time?
____ Do you have the habit of doing more than one thing at a time?
____ Do you frequently get angry or irritable?

____ Do you have little time for hobbies on time by yourself?
____ Do you have a tendency to talk quickly or hasten conversations?
____ Do you consider yourself hard-driving?

____ Do your friends or relatives consider you hard-driving?
____ Do you have a tendency to get involved in multiple projects?
____ Do you have a lot of deadlines?

____ Do you feel vaguely guilty if you relax and do nothing during leisure?
____ Do you take on too many responsibilities?

 ___ TOTAL Bottom of Form

If your score is between 20 and 30, chances are you are non-productive or your life lacks stimulation.  A score between 31 and 50 designates a good balance in your ability to handle and control stress.  If you tallied up a score ranging between 51 and 60, your stress level is marginal and you are bordering on being excessively tense.  If your total number of points exceeds 60, you may be a candidate for heart disease.

6-Second Relaxation

The “quieting reflex” is a six-second mini-relaxation technique that is designed to counteract emergency stress reactions. It relieves muscle tightening, jaw clenching, breath holding, and activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

To be effective, it should be practiced frequently throughout the day, and at the moment a stressful situation arises. It can be done with your eyes opened or closed.

• Step 1: Become aware of what is annoying you: a ringing phone, a sarcastic comment, the urge to smoke, a worrisome thought—whatever. This becomes the cue to start the quieting reflex.
• Step 2: Repeat the phrase, “alert mind, calm body” to yourself.
• Step 3: Smile inwardly with your eyes and your mouth.
• This stops facial muscles from making a fearful or angry expression. The inward smile is more a feeling than something obvious to anyone observing you.
• Step 4: Inhale slowly to the count of three, imagining that the breath comes in through the bottom of your feet. Then exhale slowly. Feel your breath move back down your legs and out through your feet. Let your jaw, tongue, and shoulder muscles go limp.

With several months’ practice the quieting reflex becomes an automatic skill.

The American Cancer Society* recommends eating a variety of plant-based, fiber-filled foods as one way to help prevent diseases such as colon cancer. We recommend that men get 38 grams of fiber per day and women get 25 grams. Find out which foods are high in fiber:

Why is fiber important?

Eating a high-fiber diet is thought to help prevent development of pouches (diverticula) in the colon. It may lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and help control blood sugar levels. And it may help with reaching and staying at a healthy weight.

What is the recommended daily amount of fiber?

The daily adequate intake amount for fiber has been calculated by the Institute of Medicine. Men 19 and older should strive for 38 grams a day and women 19 and older should aim for 25 grams a day.

How can you get more fiber?

Fiber is in many foods, including beans, peas, other vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products. You can figure out how much fiber is in a food by looking at the nutrition facts label. If a food has fiber, it will be listed under the total carbohydrate on the label. The food label assumes the daily value (DV) of fiber is 25 grams a day (g/day) for a 2,000 calorie diet.

Be sure to increase the amount of fiber in your diet slowly so that your stomach can adjust to the change. Adding too much fiber too quickly may cause stomach upset and gas.

Some doctors recommend adding bran to your diet to help boost the fiber content. If you do this, start slowly with 1 teaspoon a day. Gradually increase the amount to several teaspoons a day.

Are there any risks from fiber?

Some people who have diverticulitis avoid nuts, seeds, berries, and popcorn (because of the hulls). They believe that the seeds and nuts may get trapped in the diverticula and cause pain. But there is no evidence that seeds, nuts, and berries cause diverticulitis or make it worse.³

Does fiber help digestion?

If your diet is high enough in fiber, your stools should become softer, larger, and easier to pass.

• Changing your diet may relieve constipation, but it may not help relieve abdominal pain.
• If you don’t have any improvement within a week or two, talk to your doctor about your diet.
• Talk to your doctor if constipation continues or gets worse. Another medical problem or a medicine may be causing constipation.

Drink lots of fluids every day to help keep your stool soft. High-fiber diets need lots of fluid in the body to work properly.

Estate Plans Help Seniors Keep Control Share this article: More than 70 percent of adult Americans do not have any form of an estate plan legally filed, according to Good Morning America financial contributor, Mellody Hobson. Yet, the process of setting up an estate plan is actually less complicated than one may think. Seniors come from a generation where it was inappropriate to discuss money and death, and therefore, many adult children may find that their parents do not have the appropriate paperwork in place to manage their estates. Or, the senior may not have formal paperwork because they feel that they will just hand down their belongings to their children so there is no need for it. Passing along a legacy of personal values and family stories Source: Intergenerational Transmission Follow these tips to extract and preserve information that will document any senior loved one’s – individual stories and family heritage:

 1. Preserve your memories forward in time, and be aware of changing digital formats. To minimize the risk of losing your memories, perform frequent backups on an external hard drive and double backups on DVD-RAM storage disks. Use acid-free archival products that will stand the test of time.

 2. Ask the right questions. Move beyond fact-based reporting to evoke sensory narrative. Ask open-ended questions such as, ”What did you feel like after accomplishing that huge goal in your life? What was your favorite song from that time period? What are/were your dreams for the future?”

 3. Tell the story. Try to keep the original voice of the author and do minimal modifications to the narrative.

 4. Use technology to make it easier. Use an Internet site that, in addition to letting you upload photos, will let you preserve your memories in different ways, including long-term archiving and acid-free hard copies.

What happens to an estate without an estate plan Without an estate plan, decisions about an individual’s property, medical, and final arrangements will be made without input from the individual. Attending doctors or the hospital will make medical decisions, family members will decide on burial arrangements, and state law will dictate the distribution of assets. These considerations alone may be enough to convince a senior that now is the time to formally organize their wishes for the treatment of their medical care and property.

Becoming proactive toward estate planning Getting started may feel overwhelming, but keeping it simple and enlisting professionals can help streamline the process and bring peace of mind for the whole family. The conversation about estate planning can be a tough one to start with a loved one, but one that is well worth it in the end because of the time and money it will save the estate and the family members who must sort out the details. Caring.com suggests these initial considerations for anyone who is looking at his or her estate:

 • What are my assets and what is their approximate value?

 • Which people or organizations do I want to have these assets, and do I wish to give them up during my lifetime or after my death?

 • Who should manage these assets during my lifetime if I become unable to do so or after my death if management is needed?

 • Who should make decisions about my medical care and finances if I cannot make them?

 • After I die, do I want my remains to be donated, cremated, scattered, or buried?

These questions all guide an individual to begin to set up an estate plan. Estate planning is a process where an individual indicates in writing how his or her money and other property should be managed while he or she is alive and after death, and what should happen in the event that an individual becomes mentally incapable of making financial or health-related decisions. The basic documents that experts recommend that an individual have in an estate plan are a will or a living trust, a durable power of attorney for finances and health care, and advanced medical directives. Depending on the complexity of the estate, other documents may be necessary. Ask professionals, such as an estate attorney, an elder law attorney, a financial planner, and a physician, for guidance with these documents if you are not sure.

 A will and a living trust A will is the most basic estate planning tool and may be all the planning that someone needs. It is a document that names one or more people to manage a person’s estate and declares specific transfer of property. It could be made public and go through probate. A living trust is a more common estate planning document these days. It allows people to control their own assets during their lifetimes and then change ownership of the property in the trust to a named trustee at the time of death. The property is not processed through probate or made public. Family Education cites three basic reasons why people write wills or create trusts.

They want to: • Pass their assets on to their family members rather than let the government take over their assets.

 • Keep peace in the family by identifying who gets what.

 • Plan ahead for the costs of incapacity, including the care of their spouse.

Each state has laws regarding setting up wills and living trusts. MetLife has a booklet that helps guide people in creating a will. Download a copy of MetLife’s free booklet on “Estate Planning: understanding distribution of assets and estate taxes.” Starting a conversation with a parent: Opening up the conversation with parents about a will or a living trust can be difficult. Express appreciation for the lifetime of saving they have accomplished, and try these approaches: (sources: Family Education, MetLife):

◦ “You have saved wisely over the years and have many beautiful possessions. I really want to carry out your wishes for the future of all that you have accomplished, but I need to better understand them.

 Do you want to pass down property to the family?

 Do you want to be able to draw down money from your assets to help care for you and Mom?”

◦ Acknowledge that you fully understand that this is their money. Emphasize that advanced planning on their part means that they can keep control over what happens to the possessions they have spent a lifetime collecting. Your goal is to help them keep control – not relinquish it to the government or strangers in a courtroom.

 ◦ Stay focused on your parents’ concerns. This is about them, not your needs and wants. They may be worried that they will outlive their resources or that the kids will fight over the estate. They may be struggling with finding a fair way of dividing up what they’ll leave behind without causing problems between family members. Listen to what they are really concerned about and help them find resolution.

 ◦ If you feel they’re uncomfortable talking with you, ask them to see a financial planner who is an objective third party. Power of attorney for finances With power of attorney document, an individual names a trusted person to handle their financial matters if they become unable to handle them on their own. In the event that this document is not on file when a person becomes mentally incompetent, a judge will then appoint someone to manage the finances for them, even if the person appointed is unfamiliar with the individual or their money matters.

 If your parent wants to appoint you as their power of attorney, they should inform you of their decision and share with you their financial situation and specific wishes. Starting a conversation with a parent: Protecting assets is the main focus here. Given the gravity of the topic – money – emotions can run high. Encourage your parent that it is in his or her best interest to appoint a person whose actions have shown that he or she can be trusted to manage your parent’s finances should something happen. This is an opportunity to assure that the money your parent has spent a lifetime accruing is in the best possible hands.

Advance medical care directives and power of attorney for health care These documents are crucial when the individual is no longer capable of making decisions about life-prolonging treatments and medical care in a hospital, whether because of a lengthy illness or a sudden unexpected accident. Advance medical directives specify your treatment wishes, such as a “do not resuscitate order”, tests, surgery, medication, and organ donation. This document clearly indicates which course of action the doctor, hospital and your appointed power of attorney for health care should take with regards to your health if you are unable to communicate that yourself.

 The power of attorney for health care, or health care proxy, is someone that is named by the individual who is trusted by the individual to carry out the advance medical directives and to make medical related decisions that would align with the individual’s wishes should the advance medical directives not specifically cover that issue. The person who is appointed as the power of attorney for health care should be very familiar with the wishes, any religious and cultural beliefs of the individual that could affect health care decisions. It is best to talk at length about all aspects of a potential medical crisis and the types of decisions that the individual would favor. Starting a conversation with a parent: Health care and medical conversations of this type are never easy because they focus on the realities of end-of-life. Assure your parent that you want them to be as comfortable as possible in the event of an illness or accident and that you have their best interest at heart. Communicate your willingness to abide by their wishes in the event that you are all faced with this situation. General rules of thumb apply as an adult child approaches estate planning conversations with parents. Always include as many of your siblings or other appropriate family members as you can, so no one feels like they are being left out of the process.

The family may appoint one person to discuss all these estate planning documents with the parents or decide that w Estate Plans Help Seniors Keep Control Share this article: More than 70 percent of adult Americans do not have any form of an estate plan legally filed, according to Good Morning America financial contributor, Mellody Hobson. Yet, the process of setting up an estate plan is actually less complicated than one may think. Seniors come from a generation where it was inappropriate to discuss money and death, and therefore, many adult children may find that their parents do not have the appropriate paperwork in place to manage their estates. Or, the senior may not have formal paperwork because they feel that they will just hand down their belongings to their children so there is no need for it. Passing along a legacy of personal values and family stories Source: Intergenerational Transmission Follow these tips to extract and preserve information that will document any senior loved one’s – individual stories and family heritage:

last word, take action Now!

I am excited to announce Elder Rage the book, has been accepted by Audible Books for download exclusively at Amazon http://tinyurl.com/74479pq and Audible http://tinyurl.com/7seo4fm. the Author is honored it is a Book-of-the-Month Club selection receiving 50 endorsements http://www.ElderRage.com/Review.asp, 300+ Five-Star Amazon reviews, is required reading at numerous universities, and considered for a film.

‘Elder Rage’ is the authors true story of caring for her parents, written with LOL humor, to help caregivers cope with and manage their elderly loved ones medically, behaviorally, socially, legally, financially and emotionally. Includes an extensive self-help section and chapter by renowned dementia specialist, Rodman Shankle, MD. Also available in Print and Kindle/Nook eBook formats. Perhaps you know people who could be helped by it. http://www.ElderRage.com

Blood pressure is something that people should strive to control throughout their lives, but it’s particularly important for seniors and senior health. High blood pressure is a common problem, affecting  more than 50 percent of all Americans who are 60 years old or older.

What is High Blood Pressure?

When your heart beats and pumps blood throughout the body, a pressure is exerted against the walls of those arteries by the blood being pumped. That pressure is called blood pressure–and the higher your blood pressure, the greater your risk of developing a serious health condition. The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension.  High blood pressure is a reading of 140/90 or higher. A good blood pressure reading is 120/80 or lower.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

Years of living an unhealthy lifestyle can cause high blood pressure. Being overweight, having diabetes, smoking and eating a high-salt diet can all cause high blood pressure. Health conditions that can cause it include kidney disease, chronic pain, stress and Cushing’s syndrome.

What are the Symptoms?

High blood pressure very rarely causes symptoms. To know that you have it, you need to get your blood pressure checked and find out the reading.

Sometimes, severe high blood pressure can lead to fatigue, affected vision, abnormal heartbeat or pains in the chest.

What Does this Mean for Seniors?

Although high blood pressure is extremely common in seniors, it isn’t a natural part of normal, healthy aging. Seniors who don’t get high blood pressure under control run the risk of serious heart problems such as heart attack, congestive heart failure, arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and heart disease. Damage to the kidneys or kidney failure, blindness and stroke are also possible complications of high blood pressure.

Lifestyle Changes

Treating high blood pressure in seniors isn’t just about taking a medication–lifestyle changes are necessary to keep it under control. A regular exercise routine and a healthy diet–low in salt, fat and cholesterol and rich in whole grains, fruit and vegetables–are an essential part of high blood pressure treatment.

 Omaha Business Hall of Fame

Santa Cookies

It’s that time of year for seasonal cookies. 

Try this great recipe that involves no baking.

• 2 (6 ounce) pkgs white chocolate baking squares, chopped
• 1 (1 lb) package Nutter Butter sandwich cookies
• red colored crystal sugar
• 32 vanilla chips or 32 white chocolate chips
• 64 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 32 red-hot candies

Directions:

1.  In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate, stirring occasionally. 

2.  Dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate. 

3.  Place on wire racks.

4.  For Santa’s hat, sprinkle red sugar on top part of chocolate. 

     Press one vanilla chip off-center on hat for pom-pom, let stand until set.

     Note: you can also use a mini marshmallow cut in half for the pom-pom.

5.  Dip other end of each cookie into melted chocolate for beard, leaving center of cookie uncovered. 

6.  Place on wire racks. 

7.  With a dab of melted chocolate, attach semisweet chips for eyes and a red-hot, or red mini M&M’s, for nose.

8.  Place on waxed paper until chocolate sets.

ENJOY!!!! ~

Start Up Stretching

Regular stretching reduces pain, improves flexibility and quality of life

Flexibility, or the lack thereof, is probably the single most important factor affecting our quality of life as we age. Don’t assume that with aging you will automatically lose your flexibility. You can counterbalance the effects of aging so that your physiology is quite a bit younger than your chronology. When you stay flexible, you’ll be able to live with vibrancy, energy, and independence.

Over the years, we develop habitual ways of using our muscles to move and position ourselves. Poor posture and a lack of flexibility may be the result of a legitimate medical problem or may be the result of limited stretching and improper body alignment. When muscles get tight and stay tight, they cease to be elastic and they restrict movement. That sense of restriction, or stiffness, often leads to disuse. Disuse causes weakness and tightness, which in turn causes a vicious cycle of more disuse, weakness, and tightness.

You have to “lube your chassis” to ensure a smooth ride. Regular stretching activates fluids in your joints, thereby reducing the wear-and-tear caused by friction. Increased water intake is also believed to contribute to increased mobility for tissues and joints that have become less supple.

It is easy to take your physical capabilities for granted, until there is a problem. Your long-term goal should be to maintain your range of motion so that you can continue to accomplish everyday tasks, pain-free. This goal is totally realistic if you are willing to commit to a regular schedule of careful stretching. The benefits of a stretching program will be readily apparent, and you will experience increased comfort as your body moves with fluidity and balance.

Stretching should be peaceful, both physically and mentally. Quiet your mind, breathe deeply, and r-e-l-a-x.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six Easy Stretches

To begin with, try walking for five to ten minutes beforehand to warm up the muscles. Warming up is extremely important to prevent injury to joints and muscles. For each stretch, hold it for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat one or two times.

Stretch One: In this stretch try sitting down with a chair in front of you.

Put one leg up on the chair and lean forward, keeping the back straight.

Stretch Two: For this interlace your fingers and extend them in front of you.

Put your head down and extend your arms further until you can feel the stretch in your back.

Stretch Three: For this sit with your arms up, fingers interlaced and palms

facing up. Slowly and gently lean to one side. Hold when you feel the stretch.

Then, lean to the other side and repeat it 2-3 times.

Stretch Four: For this bend the left elbow behind your head and use the right

hand to gently pull the left elbow in further until you feel a stretch in the back of your arm.

Switch sides and repeat.

Stretch Five: Clasp your hands together in front of you and round your

back towards the floor, pressing your arms away from your body to feel

a stretch in your upper back. Do all this in a slow manner.

Stretch Six: Now for this stand with hands on the wall for support in split stance-one

leg forward and one leg back .Press the back heel towards the floor and lean the body

forward until you feel a gentle stretch in your calf. Repeat the same with the other side