Archive for the ‘Illnesses’ Category

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Common infections can accelerate memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients

Friday, March 19th, 2010

The Alzheimer’s Society funded research at the University of Southampton in the UK which examined cognitive abilities of people with Alzheimer’s. It found a possible link between high levels of protein in the blood and increased memory loss. People with respiratory, gastrointestinal or other similar infections were more likely to have an elevated protein level linked to inflammation-like reactions in the brain. Research showed that people who caught an infection, such as a simple cold or stomach bug, had twice the rate of cognitive decline as healthy people.

The potential link between inflammatory processes and Alzheimer’s is not yet totally understood. Much more research is needed; however, the research that has been done establishes the importance that people with dementia treat any kind of infection seriously and seek medical help promptly.

The research from this study was published in Neurology journal, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It raises the viewpoint that common anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen could be used in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

Gerri Tyber, Operations Manager
Barton Home Care

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Senior Home Health Care Denver – A Better Understanding of “Empathy”

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Senior Home Health Care Denver – My Journey to Understanding the Challenges of our Seniors

The transition from a normal, independent middle-aged person to one with incapacitating Guillian Barré Syndrome is not a pleasant one.  A three-week hospital stay and countless diagnostic tests resulted in my GBS diagnosis.  This is an insidious immune system disorder that causes severe nerve and muscle damage.  My case is much less severe than many who are afflicted with it, but it still caused a paralysis that made me fall numerous times ultimately resulting in a broken ankle.

I’m glad to finally be home, but I  currently have to rely on a walker to move around.  Daily mundane tasks like running the vacuum, driving a car and watering plants are still out of my ability range.  My feet and hands are not working properly;  the broken ankle is the least of my problems.

On a positive note, this experience has given me a new appreciation for the challenges that so many people face every day.  I’ll never look at a person using a walker or a cane in the same way again; I will always wonder what chain of events led them to that predicament.  Severe illness can take you to a dark place.  I have been fortunate, until now, to be a very healthy adult and never visited this very frightening place before—one that forces you to realize that circumstances beyond your control can result in a loss of your independence.

Even though very little is known about the causes of GBS and there is no cure for it, the nerve damage generally reverses itself.  The time frame for the reversal varies from individual to individual.  There is hope for full recovery; many other illnesses do not offer this hope.  This experience has taught me to “empathize” with those who are dealing with severe health issues.  I have a better understanding of their fears and their hopes for recuperation.

Gerri Tyber, Operations Manager
Barton Home Care

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Geriatric Holiday Depression

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

Late-life depression may affect about 15% of older people at any given time.  This complex problem exists throughout the year, but seems to be more perceptible during the holiday season.  A logical explanation is that the holidays may be the only contact that the elderly have with many of their family members and friends.  The depression goes unnoticed until such reunions take place.  Elderly relatives may seem different than they did in the previous year—more irritable or nervous, quieter, focused on people who have died.  The joy of the season may be noticeably lacking.  This is particularly common among people who have suffered serious physical challenges like a heart attack, cancer or personal loss.  Social networks diminish.  All of these types of things combined with pressures of the season and changes in normal routine can trigger depression.

The generations who grew up in the Great Depression are often of a mindset that lets them ignore obvious symptoms like mood swings and appetite loss as just something they need to deal with.  Their natural stoicism prohibits them from seeking help.  Left unattended, depression can become debilitating.  Depending upon its progression, dealing with it can be as simple as reconnecting with people or getting out of the house.  If family and friends are unavailable during most of the year, there are other options to help increase social interaction. In-home senior care can help fill this void.

If the depression is more advanced, counseling may be needed or even antidepressants to help the individual cope with daily living.  It is important that families closely monitor their older relatives for signs of depression.

Gerri Tyber

Operations Manager, Barton Home Care

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