Beneficial activities for the Alzheimer's sufferer

Coming up with daily activities for an Alzheimer's sufferer may feel like an uphill battle. One of the biggest stumbling blocks people have is avoiding over-stimulating actions that can frustrate the individual too much. There are numerous benefits to get a patient with Alzheimer’s to use their mind more frequently. Playing strategic games such as chess can be incredibly beneficial. Below are additional suggestions that should be considered:

1: Reminiscing:  Another great activity for Alzheimer’s patients is reminiscing. Talk about things that you did in your past and begin asking questions of the Alzheimer’s patient. They may not be able to remember certain things, and sometimes their memories may clouded, but that’s okay. Redirect them to memories they can recall. That can actually open the door to things they haven’t thought about, memories they haven’t held onto in many years.

2: Arts & Crafts:  Putting together scrapbooks can be a fun pastime that forces the individual to use their brain, concentrate, and even inspire memories to come to the surface. Quilting or painting can be incredibly beneficial. Reading aloud or even talking about books that they read together can be a great way to spend some time.

3: Music:  Encouraging the Alzheimer’s patient to sing, regardless of whether they can hold a note or not, is good because it brings oxygen to the brain. You can also look to incorporate dance routines when coming up with certain types of music.  You may also want to sit down and suggest writing songs.

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

New Developments in the Treatment of Alzheimer's

After years of setbacks, Alzheimer's researchers are sounding optimistic again. The reason: a brain protein called tau. At this year's Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washington, D.C., there are more than 100 papers on tau, which is responsible for the tangles that form in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. In the past, tau has received less attention than another protein called amyloid beta, which causes the sticky plaques associated with Alzheimer's.

This toxic tau, known as a tau oligomer, occurs not only in Alzheimer's patients but also in people with traumatic brain injury.  New research suggests that treating Alzheimer's will require drugs that affect both tau and amyloid, and perhaps other factors that are less well understood.  It's because of this new research that new tools for treating alzheimer's are coming available.

We'll keep you posted as news of these developments unfold.

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!