Health Expert Carol Bradley Bursack shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. 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/profiles/c/62/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/62/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/62/index http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/153373/diagnostic-scans Tue, 29 May 2012 11:35:00 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack One of the most frustrating medical realities of Alzheimer’s disease is that a definitive diagnosis can only be made after death. Even though science has progressed to a point where many doctors  feel quite sure of their diagnosis, there is still a fair chance that the diagnosis is wrong. A recent article in the Detroit Free Press about the findings of Peter Lichtenberg, Ph.D., head of Wayne State University's Institute of... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/153373/diagnostic-scans http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/153255/alzheimer-default Thu, 24 May 2012 10:03:33 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack Alzheimer’s organizations have worked diligently to raise public awareness of the disease. Their efforts are paying off handsomely. I’d challenge nearly anyone to find a friend or neighbor who hasn’t heard enough about Alzheimer’s disease to give some type of description of the symptoms. The downside of this awareness, however, is that even doctors can jump to possibly faulty conclusions when they see an elderly... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/153255/alzheimer-default http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/153016/administration Wed, 16 May 2012 11:05:06 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack We’ve been waiting for details and now they are here. The Obama administration plan to end Alzheimer’s disease by the year 2025 was announced May 15, 2012 by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The plan pledges millions of dollars for researchers as well as for those providing care and services for people with Alzheimer’s disease.   Sebelius said in the announcement that, "What we know... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/153016/administration http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152977/researchers-fight Tue, 15 May 2012 10:01:58 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack There’s no prevention or cure for Alzheimer’s disease at this point. The best many experts can do is to suggest that people adopt healthy habits such as reducing stress, exercising, weight control and a good diet including plenty of fruits and vegetables.   However, researchers are working hard to find an answer to the Alzheimer’s puzzle. In a recent press release titled Grape-Derived Compound Prevents Alzheimer's... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152977/researchers-fight http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152862/investigates-cost Fri, 11 May 2012 06:56:49 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack Many of who have vulnerable loved ones would prefer to provide hands-on care ourselves. For some, that means considering whether to continue with outside employment or quit a job to care for our loved one full-time. In Discovering The True Cost Of At-Home Caregiving, NPR’s series “Family Matters: The Money Squeeze,” the lifetime cost of quitting a paying job to care for a loved one in the home is closely... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152862/investigates-cost http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152746/dementia-stranger Mon, 07 May 2012 13:27:06 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack Although Alzheimer’s disease is likely the most common and well-known dementia, the reality is that there are many other types of dementia. One lesser known but increasingly recognized dementia is frontotemporal. FTD generally presents itself as a baffling change in a loved one's personality. A recent New York Times story titled The Vanishing Mind: When Illness Makes a Spouse a Stranger illustrates the stunning effect that... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152746/dementia-stranger http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152640/videos-caregivers Thu, 03 May 2012 15:39:40 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack Caregivers tend to spend significant time digging for useful information to better care for their loved ones, a need which often escalates when the care receiver transitions from one care setting to another. During these transitions, caregivers often need additional guidance, especially in handling medication changes. To help with this issue, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has partnered with the United Hospital Fund of... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152640/videos-caregivers http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152490/interview-obesity Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:51:45 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack This May, in support of National Physical Fitness & Sports Month, Dr. Travis Stork and the other physicians on the television show "The Doctors" are encouraging viewers to develop a healthier lifestyle. They've dubbed the month's broadcast focus "Get Moving May." Reducing obesity with a healthy diet and sensible exercise is the goal.   During a recent interview with Dr. Stork, I asked him how we can encourage our aging loved ones to... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152490/interview-obesity http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152349/shock-awareness Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:42:46 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack A recent public service announcement broadcast in Belgium has added fuel to the controversy over how "clever" it's appropriate to be when it comes to Alzheimer's awareness campaigns.    The Flemish League Alzheimer's Association recently commissioned a PSA message that has brought strong responses from viewers. The PSA shows a woman with Alzheimer's repeatedly opening her door to her grandson when he arrives... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152349/shock-awareness http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152157/home-environment Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:42:13 -0400 Carol Bradley Bursack Nursing homes of old were modeled for the efficiency of the staff, many being replicas of WWII military hospitals. Times are, thankfully, changing.   Much of this change in the US has been lead by people involved in the Pioneer Network, an organization dedicated to culture change in elder care. However, world-wide, culture change in the care of the aged is happening in a big way. An article on ABC News titled Alzheimer’s Disease:... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/62/152157/home-environment