World Alzheimer’s Day: Closer to a Cure?
Today is World Alzheimer’s Day and I am thrilled to be sharing my stage today with guest writer MARIA RAMOS. PLEASE GIVE HER A WARM WELCOME!
Maria is a freelance writer currently living in Chicago. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a minor in Communication. She blogs about environmentally friendly tips, technological advancements, and healthy active lifestyles.
Alzheimer’s is the most common dementia in the world, and is the sixth most common cause of death in the United States. Over 5 million Americans suffer from the disease, and experts believe that as many as 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s by the year 2050.
World Alzheimer’s Day, held every year on September 21st, is a day used to raise awareness of the disease. Organizations all over the world dedicated to fighting Alzheimer’s and dementia call attention to the disease and their own efforts through this combined effort.
Challenges of Alzheimer’s
There are multiple challenges associated with Alzheimer’s – beginning with getting a diagnosis. Regardless of type, people with Alzheimer’s Disease display the same symptoms of forgetfulness and confusion and have trouble doing once-familiar things. Currently, only 10% of Alzheimer’s patients are diagnosed while the disease is in its early stages due to symptoms simply being brushed off. Unfortunately, while there are medications that can slow mental deterioration, they only work during the early stages of the disease.
Alzheimer’s is also an expensive disease to treat and the average patient survives for nine years after their diagnosis. It is also emotionally draining for the family, especially if they don’t understand why their loved one, for instance, remembers events from 40 years ago, but not something that happened last week. Worst of all, there is no cure at the moment.
To make matters even worse, experts don’t fully understand what exactly causes Alzheimer’s to develop. Many believe that Alzheimer’s is a multifactorial disease which means it has many possible causes including vascular health, lifestyle, inflammation, and possibly a virus. Many patients will have several of the above factors, which makes determining the exact cause difficult. And yet another problem is the woefully inadequate funding of Alzheimer’s research. In 2010, Congress passed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act which mandates finding a way to prevent or cure Alzheimer’s by 2025. The research needed is expected to cost $2 billion a year. This past year, the NIH earmarked $586 million towards Alzheimer’s research — a little more than a quarter of what’s needed.
New Treatments
In March 2015, Australian scientists reported a new technology that could possibly be used to restore the memory of those suffering from Alzheimer’s by clearing up amyloid plaques that form in the brain of sufferers. The new device uses ultrasound to clear away the plaques, but so far scientists have only tested it on mice. They found that the device did no damage whatsoever to any surrounding brain tissue, and that it fully restored the memory function of 75% of the mice. These mice showed marked improvement while performing three memory tests: running a maze, recognizing new objects, and remembering dangerous places. Scientists hope to start testing the technology on humans in 2017.
Scientists have been working with a drug called Solanezumab that also clears away amyloid plaques. This past summer, they completed a 28-week long clinical trial. The results, while promising, show the drug only works on people who begin taking it during the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
Another study has found that a component called resveratrol can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. Resveratrol occurs naturally in grapes, red wine and dark chocolate making it a very palatable and appealing treatment.
Technological Aids
Caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients are increasingly turning to technology for support. They can, for instance, use wearable technology to monitor health and whereabouts. The Lively watch, for example, looks like an Apple Watch and has an alert button the wearer can press to summon help if they fall – caretakers can even set the watch to remind the wearer to take medication.
A senior’s home can also be equipped with sensor technology that will assist in monitoring their bathroom and eating habits. Home automation systems can be programmed to help a senior citizen live independently longer and more safely. Smart devices such as thermostats, security systems, voice-controlled appliances and door locks can be customized and controlled through corresponding smartphone apps. Caregivers are therefore able to monitor activity from afar adding another level of safety and also provide peace of mind.
Alzheimer’s is a devastating illness, but a cure is possible. The Alzheimer’s Association has added Trial Match to their website, a service that enables people to find clinical trials for Alzheimer’s treatments in their area. It’s only a small step, but it’s one in the right direct. World Alzheimer’s Day is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness about not only the disease, but also its symptoms so families are able to properly care for their loved ones. After all, the more people who are aware of the condition and its effects, the more resources and research will be devoted to it, so consider volunteering or even donating to do your part to help the cause and all those affected by it.
I think Alzheimers is an awful way to finish our lives – maybe not so much for the person, but certainly for the family. I would love a cure to be found in our lifetime (especially if we are going to be candidates further down the track!)
I have to agree. It’s sad the way it strips a person down to nothing before it ultimately takes their lives. I hope there is a cure out there.
Thank you for so much information, Maria. I hope a cure is found in our lifetime.
Rena – as always, you make a difference! ♥
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted…Insha’Allah
She did a marvelous job! I hope that she returns again soon. She has an open invitation!
This is fabulous information, Rena. Thanks for sharing it. The ultrasound therapy out of Australia sounds particularly promising.
Thanks Estelle! So glad you enjoyed this guest post!
Thanks Rena.
Every day is World Alzheimer’s Day for people living with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type and their care partners <3
Bless us all.
Susan Macaulay (@AmazingSusan) recently posted…find the lady in the lies: a shell game of side effects and suffering for the sake of antipsychotic sales
To us it is Susan to the rest of the world it’s not so spreading our stories is the only way to make a difference. Hope you enjoyed the guest post today.
Great information. It is an awful disease. What I think many people don’t realize is the devastating progression of the disease where the patient’s brain forgets how to walk, how to feed and eventually how to swallow.
Haralee recently posted…Khalessi, Mother of Dragons as a Role Model?
Such an important post — as you know I am caregiver for a relative with some form of dementia so this all hits close to home.
Paula Kiger recently posted…Everyone Can Take Action #ADayWithHIV
Thanks Paula! I really appreciate your comments and your support!
Thank you Rena AND Maria for sharing this valuable information. As I’ve mentioned before my mother was also diagnosed with Alzheimers and lived with it for years before passing so I know how hard it can be on every person in the family. It is good to know that some progress is being made and that we can all continue to hope and pray that a breakthrough happens in the near future. ~Kathy
Kathy @ SMART Living 365.com recently posted…Carl Jung And The Art Of Aging Well
Thanks you Kathy for always showing your support. It never fails to amaze me how many people in my circle have gone through this at some point in their lives. It makes me feel more confidant that I will survive this to go on with the rest of my life whatever that looks like then.
I hope.I was participating in a brain study but the questions are all fast moving schematic type things that I couldn’t have done at 30
However there are some amazing drugs being tried. The problem is that they target the tangled plaque cords and they’ve been finding that the tangles are not the cause but the end product.
So I don’t know how amazing the meds are except that they’re showing what’s not working and that plaque which has been thought to cause dementia for a pretty long time might not—and that’s exciting in a very weird way.
I wanted to thank you for your very lovely comment and say the last thing I am is inspirational. You, on the other hand!
pia recently posted…Absolute Rights
The funny thing is I understood all of that perfectly well. It is exciting…in a weird way. Progress is progress no matter what it looks like!
Oh I just read about the plaque this morning and haven’t had time to assimilate it as it goes so far against everything we’ve been taught in the past decade or two.
pia recently posted…Absolute Rights
I know! It changed the whole ball game didn’t it! I hope it’s a step in the right direction!
I watched my Mom suffer through the effects of Parkinson’s and she watched her father do the same. These devastating diseases need to be studied and eradicated. Thank you for this information, Rena. Eye-opening!
dltolley recently posted…25
I agree Diane! I have a family member who is going through that with her own father and it is sad to watch the degeneration from year to year when we see them on holidays.
Interesting what you said about resveratrol as I have been recommending it as a preventative as well as an aid in healing Alzheimer’s. However, the only one I recommend is patented because it is the only one made from muscadine grapes that has all 19 chromosomes. All the others, at best, have only 18 and it is that extra one that makes a huge difference. It also has a polyphenol blend making it 10 times more effective in preventing the formation of AGE particles. I have personally witnessed tremendous improvement in my clients. So exciting to see you mention that.
Carol Graham recently posted…Where to Look if Your Dog Goes Missing
Muscadines really? We love those and had never heard of them until we moved here. I have so much to learn.
My MIL was just moved into a facility. It’s such a terrible disease. I was glad to read this and learn about new hope on the research front.
Stephanie Weaver, MPH recently posted…Lemon-verbena Pimm’s® cocktail
I am so sorry Stephanie. I am sure that was very hard to deal with and painful as well. I hope it is a smooth transition for both of you.
Talk about great timing! I just gave a talk last night about the effect of movement on the brain, with another presentation scheduled in 2 days on exercise, cognition, dementia, and — most importantly – what we can do to minimize the onset and decline. So glad to see the advances technology brings. Your post has a handy, and hope giving list.
KymberlyFunFit recently posted…How Can I Get Better Posture?
That’s great Kymberly! Feel free to use anything that you find here to promote good health! I would be honored! You’re doing such important work yourself!
Love your blog, but felt this article was a fluff pc. None of the information is new nor was there any depth to the info to make it useful (eg reseveratrol has showed some promise at 1g (1000mg) taken twice daily. And not all resverstrol is the same need to take “trans resveratrol” and the purity needs to be 99% or it will not be absorbed as effectivly by the body/cross the blood brain barrier. And there is a specific caculation you need to do when reading the lable to determine the exact effectiveness of the dosage.) Any of this type of detailed info would be valuable. I care for my 81 yr mother w/alz.
I am sorry you feel that way “Adrienne”. I actually enjoyed the piece and was very happy with it. Maria is a welcome guest on this blog anytime and as such I would hope that my readers would show her the respect she deserves.
Such great information. I hope a cure is found SOON!
Lana recently posted…Motivational Monday XXV
I agree Lana! Thanks as always for your support!
So much information. And yet, there’s still not enough. So glad to have “met” Maria.
Karen @BakingInATornado recently posted…Withering Words
Thanks Karen! I really appreciate your comments!
Thank you for sharing this helpful news. It would be so wonderful if there would soon be a cure!!
Susan – ofeverymoment recently posted…Words for Wednesday – and a Wonderful Surprise
Thanks Susan~ That’s so true. Maybe one day hopefully during our lifetime it will happen.
Oh my – what wonderful news. It would be fantastic if they figured it out and could eradicate it!
Liv recently posted…Falling Over Myself – #AAF with Tamara like Camera
That would be amazing Liv! I have my fingers crossed that it will happen in my lifetime.