dementia expert

We were talking about oxidative stress and why it is bad. It is bad because of the damage to cells caused by free radicals which are a result of breathing in oxygen. Free radicals are extremely unstable and can cause damage to various parts of a cell. 

Besides taking in oxygen which everyone has to do to live, other pollutants can increase the amount of free radicals in a person’s body. 

Things such as pollution, sunlight, smoking and mercury can increase the amount of free radicals in your body. 

The important thing is how can your body combat the formation of free radicals. 

The answer is……… 

Come back tomorrow to find out

By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://alzact.today.com

We are taking a little detour because a question was asked about the plaques and tangles that are formed in the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease.
 
The plaques and tangles are formed because of oxidative stress. The plaques and tangles are the body’s way of defending itself against oxidative stress. Many experts feel that it is the oxidative stress and not the plaques that cause the damage and reduce the effectiveness of the neurons.
 
In order to better understand this we must have a basic understanding of oxidative stress.
 
Simply put oxidative stress is damage to cells caused by…….
 
Come back tomorrow ro learn about oxidatuve stress and so much more
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://alzact.today.com

We were saying the abnormal structures that develop in a person with Alzheimer’s disease- plaques and tangles -  stop the neurons in the brain in the affected area from firing. Eventually these brain cells die.
 
If you destroy the hippocampus, you more or less destroy their ability to remember new things and will eventually limit the ability of them to retrieve old memories too. The result of this is a person who has some brain functions that are useful, some partially in  tact and some not at all.
 
Besides the hippocampus it is hard to predict which areas of the…….
Come back again to see
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://alzact.today.com

We were discussing the hippocampus and the ability of the brain to form new memories.
As I said this ability is severly limited. However some simple new memories are possible in early to mid stage Alzheimer’s disease. Sadly as the disease progresses, the ablilty to form new memories is completely lost and even recalling old memories becomes limited and then lost.
 
Why does this happen?
It is thought that this happens because of the formation of plaques and tangles.
These abnormal structures stop the neurons in the brain in the affected area from firing
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://alzact.today.com

Last time we were talking about the hippocampus.
For some reason this area of the brain is one of the first to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease. When the hippocampus gets destroyed, the ability of the brain to make new memories is exceedingly limited
.
I have seen some simple new memories being made despite persons’ Alzheimer’s disease. The memory had to do with adding a particular ending to all the songs our guitar player played. Now the folks with Alzheimer’s disease say boom boom after each song she plays because she has been saying it over and over again after all the songs
Much more to come
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://akzact.today.com

Lets move on
There has been so much news about Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
However before we can really understand the significance of all the news, we have to have an understanding of the areas of the brain that get damaged if persons have Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia and what happens to the person when this damage occurs.
 
One area of the brain that does not work properly because of Alzheimer’s disease is the hippocampus
The hippocampus is like a file cabinet. However when people have Alzheimer’s disease the file cabinet is broken. Information comes in, but instead of the information getting filed, it gets lost in never never land
More next time
By Susan Berg, author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://akzact.today.com

We were discussing writing a story with a person who has dementia as part of a creative endeaor.
 
You have shown a bright colorful conversation stimulating picture or photograph to someone with dementia.
You have asked them questions about the picture
You have writtten down cute comments
Now what.
Use the comments to create a story. It does not have to be fancy or extremely eliquent.
Have a logical sequence like beginning of the day to the end of the day
Write statements about one person at a time. Then write about the next person.
Refer to previous posts and visit http://www.alzheimersideas.com/page14.html 
for a sample story
Please leave a question in the comment section if you are having trouble
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://alzact.today.com

Before we get into the writing of the story here are some more helpful hints on asking questions about a picture.

As you ask the questions about the picture, note any remarkable responses. That is, statements about the picture that will make the story interesting. Remember to assist members of the audience with answers to questions by providing the help they may need. 

For example, if they are having trouble deciding what season is shown in the picture, talk about the seasons of the year, by asking them to name the seasons. If they are having trouble, give them a choice of two. If there is still some confusion, say that the baby and the lady are wearing swimsuits. Ask about the season that swimsuits are worn in etc. 

Understand that you can ask any question that you want to, which will help facilitate the discussion.

Tomorrow more on creating a story with folks with dementia

By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://alzact.today.com

Creating your own story with those who have Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia for Thanksgiving(or any other day)
 
Here is the meat of the matter.
Now you are ready to show the picture(s) to the members of the group. As you ask the about the picture, make sure you show the picture to the participant(s) that you are directing the questions to. You or someone in the group can be the eyes for visually impaired participants. However, you will see that the discussion may take on a life of its own where the picture may not even be needed. Think of the picture as a story starter.
 
Here is a link to a picture I used for a recent creative writing session.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com/page13.html 
 
You might begin with the question, “Do you like this picture?”
Here are some more questions
http://www.alzheimersideas.com/page16.html 
How do you create a story from the answers?
Come back tomorrow to see
 
Come back tomorrow for more
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://alzact.today.com

Here is a way to create your own story about Thanksgiving or about anything for that matter.
 
This is an important type of activity because engaging in creative endeavors is vital for those with dementia. It is an important way to keep them thinking. It keeps their minds working and raises self esteem.
 
Before you show the picture, tell the person with dementia that you are going to help them write a story about a picture because you know they are smart and have good ideas.
 
Now you are ready to show the picture
 
Make sure the picture is colorful with large, easy to describe items about thanksgiving. Remember, you can do this activity any time for any occasion.
 
“Then what”, you ask
Come back tomorrow for more
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://alzact.today.com