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/42/92296/11-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 http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/85038/party-remember Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:36:00 -0400 Dorian Martin      This summer I had the opportunity to visit one of my best friends, Inez, in New Mexico. As part of my visit, Inez invited me to join her family in attending a special party. The weekend event, hosted by Mike (a long-time friend of Inez’s husband), was in honor of his mother, Susan, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. The party’s purpose was to bring Susan’s friends and family members together to... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/85038/party-remember http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/84280/september-21-marks Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:50:00 -0400 Dorian Martin Often I’ve focused my shareposts on what’s happening concerning Alzheimer's disease around the United States. However, Alzheimer’s isn’t limited to the U.S.’s 50 states. In fact, September 21 has been proclaimed World Alzheimer's Day™ 2009 and will be commemorated across the globe. This year’s theme is “Diagnosing Dementia: See It Sooner” and the day’s purpose is to raise awareness... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/84280/september-21-marks http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/84146/learning-students Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:59:00 -0400 Dorian Martin Some medical students at the University of New England in Biddeford, Me are taking advantage of a eye-opening “volunteer” opportunity – opting to be a resident at a nursing home for 10 days. These students (who are interested in becoming a geriatrician) can take part in the “Learning by Living” program. During their stay at the nursing home, the students are provided a “diagnosis” of an ailment and then... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/84146/learning-students