Recently, a group of researchers from Tufts University came to Compass on the Bay to screen residents for the VIVE study, focused on exercise and nutrition in the elderly. The study includes an exercise intervention, aimed at increasing individual’s exercise levels. The researchers were surprised to learn, upon interview, that many of the residents were not qualified for the study.

The reason: current and frequent exercise routines.

Exercise is an important component of Compass Memory Support. Research shows the exercise is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and may slow the progression of the disease. Our exercise programs are important for residents’ physical, mental and cognitive health and may include supervised walking groups, strength training, dancing, gentle stretching, yoga and tai chi.

Daily exercise routines can be viewed, frequently, at all of the Compass Memory Support communities. Apparently, the residents are more active than researchers ever imagined!

What types of exercise do you find useful for people living with Alzheimer’s disease?

L-R Leanna Moran, Erin Whalen, Tadd Clelland

Senior Living Residences introduced its new innovative treatment program, Compass Memory Support, to hundreds of Alzheimer’s disease professionals at the Map through the Maze conference, sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter.

A recent study conducted at the University of Iowa proves that people with memory loss can still feel and remember both happy and sad emotions well after having forgotten the memory that caused the sentiment. This research confirms what we at Senior Living Residences have recognized for years, that simple actions taken by family members and caregivers of Alzheimer’s residents can have a significant effect on a patient’s mood, although they may not remember why. This discovery provides another reason why respect and dignity are essential elements to an Alzheimer’s patient’s care and an integral part of our mission at SLR.

Congress has included significant provisions in the final healthcare reform legislation to address the health concerns of  the increasing population of people living with Alzheimer’s disease. This article discusses the changes and how they are going to help people with the disease.

Whenever I do a family or professional training , I ask the audience members to consider what remains when someone is living with Alzheimer’s disease, as compared to the many losses the individual is experiencing.

This past week I spent some time with residents in the Compass Memory Support at the BayView Assisted Living, a community owned by Senior Living Residences. One of the residents had some difficulty walking into the dining room at lunchtime. The associates quickly offered her assistance and she rested in a chair for a few minutes before continuing in to have her meal.

Another resident, who had watched the scene closely, approached the staff and offered his services. Once he was assured that everything was fine, he went in to have his own lunch.

I spoke to Jennifer Hoadley, the Program Director, about the resident who had approached to offer help, commenting on his composure, true concern, and fast action. She said, “he is a former Boston firefighter and is always right there when anyone needs assistance.” Although he is now living with Alzheimer’s disease, his lifelong call to the service and safety of others remains, unchanged by his disease.

Today, I heard an interesting interview with Judith Fox, a professional photographer.  Her husband has Alzheimer’s and she has been documenting his disease process in photographs and recently published a book, I Still Do.

Her photos and voice speak to remaining love despite the losses associated with Alzheimer’s disease. You can listen to the interview here, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120568216&ft=1&f=13, see the photos here, www.judithfox.com , and read her blog here, http://judithfox.wordpress.com/.

Senior Living Residences, www.seniorlivingresidences.com,  recently received a Recognition Award from  the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center (BU ADC), www.bu.edu/alzresearch. The Award was presented to SLR for its contribution to Alzheimer’s disease research and community outreach, including the research and education initiatives of the  BU ADC. The BU ADC is one of the 31 National Institute on Aging funded Alzheimer’s Disease Centers nationwide.

Dr. Robert Stern, Associate Professor of  Neurology and Co-Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical and Research Program at BU ADC, presented the award, saying that he viewed, “SLR as one of the most innovative and expert senior living and Alzheimer’s care organizations in the country.” SLR’s innovative focus on Alzheimer’s care is research-based. Affiliations with nationally recognized academic programs such as the BU ADC inform the cutting edge programs that residents receive.

Close to 3000 researchers and scientists convened in Vienna, Austria for the International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD) this month. The meetings, workshops, and presentation highlighted the latest research results in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and focused on new diagnostic tools, prevention methods and treatment options.

Sponsored by National Alzheimer’s Association, the conference brings together the best and brightest in the field. For a full listing of news releases and research findings announced this year, go to www.alz.org/icad.

Noting the expected increase in the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Association has recently increased the frequency of the meeting from every other year, to an annual meeting. Currently, over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. If a preventative treatment or a cure is not found by 2050, that number is expected to exceed 15 million creating a massive public health crisis.

While people with Alzheimer’s disease, their family members, and friend wait for answers about this disease, the change to an annual meeting is timely giving researches and scientists more time for collaboration as they try to understand Alzheimer’s disease, its prevention, treatment and ultimate cure.

Today, there are many different resources for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their family members. Individuals who want to learn about Alzheimer’s disease can participate in community education programs, join a support group, choose from a variety of books, or join a social network of people in a similar situation.

Another excellent tool to use for research on Alzheimer’s disease is the internet. There is a broad amount of information available about living with Alzheimer’s, caregiving, the stages of the disease, the latest research towards treatment and more. There are a number of websites that I visit when looking for information about Alzheimer’s disease. They include:
• National Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org
• Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center: www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers
• Clinical Trials, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
• Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association: www.massalfa.org

This Alzheimer’s blog is another resource for learning about Alzheimer’s disease, including the latest information on research, treatment and care. One of the most difficult aspects of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease is that just as you have learned about a specific part of the disease, something changes and the illness progresses. Knowing about and utilizing available resources is an important part of planning through the course of the disease. Please check back here, www.alzcareblog.com, often for more information.

With the unofficial start of summer, many of us begin to look at our calendars to plan vacations or time away from home. Many caregivers have concerns about vacationing and traveling with their family member with Alzheimer’s disease. Yet vacations and leisure time can be about relaxation and enjoyment, for both the caregiver and the person living with Alzheimer’s disease. Read more…