Alzheimer's Expert Dorian Martin shares Alzheimer's management news and commentary at OurAlzheimers.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42 http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42 http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/95224/stays-detrimental Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:11:00 -0500 Dorian Martin Mom had only two extended stays at the hospital after her diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease. In both cases, I was a visible presence. Although I didn't stay with her overnight, I did hang out in her room for extended periods of time so that the medical staff were aware of my presence. And if there was a problem, I didn't hesitate to bring any concerns to the hospital staff's attention.   Therefore, I found the story "Half of... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/95224/stays-detrimental http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/94337/travelling-caring Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:09:00 -0500 Dorian Martin Throughout my life, I always seemed to have focused on huge goals as well as a lengthy to-do list. Finish high school - check. Finish college - check. Land new job - check. Win election as officer of a state association and then a national association - check, check. Each of these events seemed like summiting a mountain. Once you reached the top, you could relax and enjoy the view.But with caregiving, that's not the case. In fact, using a... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/94337/travelling-caring http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/93035/provide-support Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:01:00 -0500 Dorian Martin Zoe, my miniature schnauzer, currently is snoring on a pillow nearby on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Now 15 years of age, Zoe still exhibits the calmness and the sweet disposition that was always welcome at Mom's nursing home.  I still can picture how Zoe would sit in Mom's lap as I would push Mom's wheelchair down the hallway. As residents saw Zoe, they'd come up to pet her and to offer a few morsels from their dinner trays. Although... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/93035/provide-support http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/92296/11-disorientation Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:13:00 -0400 Dorian Martin The disorientation of a loved one with dementia is a particularly vexing challenge for caregivers.  Therefore, I was very excited to find a tipsheet prepared by the Texas A&M System's Agrilife Extension about caring for a disoriented person. Here are 11 suggestions from the tipsheet:1. Simplify routines and reduce choices. At this point, I think of caregiving as being akin to being a kindergarten teacher in the sense that you need... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/92296/11-disorientation http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/91571/thoughts-decision Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:18:00 -0400 Dorian Martin What type of medical care should a loved one with advanced Alzheimer's receive? That's an especially difficult question to answer when the caregiver is committed to doing everything he or she can to serve as an advocate. Tara Parker-Pope of The New York Times addressed this quandary in "Treating Dementia, but Overlooking Its Physical Toll." The reporter noted that most people only think of dementia as a mental illness when, in fact, the... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/91571/thoughts-decision http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/90627/reflections-brooke Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:15:00 -0400 Dorian Martin The recent verdict in the case concerning noted New York philanthropist and socialite Brooke Astor’s son illustrates the challenging efforts to prosecute elder abuse. Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted on 14 of 16 charges of defrauding his mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, in order to steal many millions of dollars from her as her disease progressed.  Mrs. Astor, who died in 2007 at the age 105,... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/90627/reflections-brooke http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/89673/football-continues Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:30:00 -0400 Dorian Martin For a significant portion of my life, football has reigned supreme.  My allegiance in my early years went to the Denver Broncos, who my parents avidly began supporting during the 1960s despite the team’s dismal record. Then we moved to Texas, long known as a football powerhouse. And I ended up attending Odessa Permian High School, the football juggernaut whose gridiron glories and challenges were detailed in the book,... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/89673/football-continues http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/88723/nun-contradictions Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:54:00 -0400 Dorian Martin Talk about an intriguing and very confusing puzzle! Does the exhibition of symptoms of Alzheimer's disease mean that a person actually has a tangle-filled brain? And what does the brain of a person who is mentally sharp when he or she dies look like?Prior to her death. Recently, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. David Snowdon, the author of "Aging with Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier and More Meaningful... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/88723/nun-contradictions http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/87611/choose-crosswords Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:35:00 -0400 Dorian Martin I have a vivid memory of my mom during much of my adult life. Every morning, she’d pick up the newspapers (my parents subscribed to two daily papers) and quickly found the section with the crossword puzzles. Mom would then proceed to work her way through the clues, carefully putting each letter in the box. A few times, I was up ahead of her and snagged the newspaper, taking my turn at trying to figure out the cues. When Mom would enter... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/87611/choose-crosswords http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/86126/encouraging-avoid Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:05:00 -0400 Dorian Martin Former First Lady Barbara Bush may have been (unknowingly) as much an advocate for the fight against Alzheimer's disease as she was for encouraging early literacy.Last week, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. David Snowdon, the author of "Aging with Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Lives" during a special seminar at Texas A&M University's Bush Conference Center. During his speech,... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/86126/encouraging-avoid