New research

Some new research on our News tonight deals with Alzheimer's disease.

An antibody that can almost completely clear the visible signs of Alzheimer’s disease from the brain has been discovered in a breakthrough that left one scientist “trying not to get too excited”.

Researchers scanned the brains of people with the degenerative condition as they were given doses of the drug, which is based on an immune cell taken from the blood of elderly people aged up to 100 who showed no signs of the disease.

After a year, virtually all the toxic “amyloid plaques” that build up in Alzheimer’s patients appeared to have gone from the brains of those given the highest doses of the antibody.

The scientists, who described their results in a paper in the journal Nature, also said the patients showed signs that the rate of their cognitive decline had slowed.

Be great if this does follow through on its promise. 

The article points to 7 risk factors 

Depression

Smoking

Low education

Hypertension

Diabetes

Too little exercise

Obesity

I was extremely surprised to see no mention of contact sport or alcohol....

Gene Wilder

So sad to hear today of Gene Wilder's death at the age of 83. I loved him in films like Charlie and the chocolate factory. I confess I had not realised he had Alzheimer's.

Today I also read On the Day I die .

This is on JOHN PAVLOVITZ's web site.

It starts:

On the die I day a lot will happen.

A lot will change.

The world will be busy.

On the day I die, all the important appointments I made will be left unattended.

The many plans I had yet to complete will remain forever undone.

There is a lot more to give us things to reflect on.

Wedding anniversary

Today was our thirtieth wedding anniversary!

I took in two chocolate sponges for everyone to have for morning and afternoon tea today.

George and I sat going through his books and talking about all sorts of things that have happened over the years. George was having a good day and enjoying reading his books, talking and eating chocolate.

Another resident had received mail which he couldn't open. It had come to him from his son in Australia and was delivered to the home. I said I would help, so with a group of seven onlookers we started. I used a key as a letter opener which they all thought worked well. When it was opened I pulled it out a little way so he could pull it out himself. He wasn't sure what it was so I read all the card to him - with the others listening avidly. There were also three photos (luckily with names on the back) so we talked about those and I wrote his name on them so they don't go missing. All up that was a half hour with all those people really involved and joining in. They were all relaxed and so happy.

While we were doing this the caregivers were getting the lunch ready. Hopefully they try using some of my techniques - I always try to model how the carers should be, same as I did with aspiring teachers.

Passing problems along

The comments Amazing Susan made on my last post reminded me that I had not shared my own thoughts about how we sometimes deal with those of us with difficult behaviours.

I was a teacher for many years. During this time I regularly stood up for those children that other teachers wanted to be 'stood down'. In the old days this was called expelling a child from a school. My attitude always was that the failure was the schools and that we needed to have strategies to deal with these children. All that you do is give the problem to another school! I could never see how anyone could think was beneficial to a child. While I was there no child was 'stood down'.

Some time ago I knew of a case where a person was in a home. She had early onset Alzheimer's and was very strong. She frequently lashed out and many caregivers were frightened of her. One day a family member came in just as this woman hit the family member's mother. A formal complaint was made - result. The woman was taken away for reassessment and moved to another home. Exactly the same as in the education system, pass the problem on for someone else to deal with.

I spoke to a senior staff member about the minister and said about how our education system deals with the problems and that I hoped that they were going to look at how they had failed rather than blame him - this was my way of dealing with these things in our school.

I am now watching this space...

Aggressive behaviour

In the Home with George are several men as well as women. Two of the men are pretty big. One of these men was in the American navy and speaks with an American accent although he is actually a kiwi. He walks with a walker.

The other man does not have mobility problems. Previously he was a minister in an Anglican Church. He wanders around a lot saying 'Jesus loves you' over and over. Unfortunately he tends to bother women and will often hit them.

Two days ago I saw the navy man had a black eye. I asked him if he had had a fall. He told me no he had been in a fight and I should see the other guy who is now in hospital!

Apparently the minister was hitting a woman. The navy man went over and told him not to hit a woman. The minister turned around and faced up to the navy man. They then got into a fight.

Result: navy man - one black eye, minister - fell and broke his hip.

It is very difficult for caregivers to cope with this sort of happening especially when there may only be one of them on duty.

Thank goodness George was not there. He is not used to aggressive behaviour and would have been shocked had he been there.

A poem for all of us

This is one of those poems that all caregivers need to read frequently

Do not ask me to remember

Do not try to make me understand

Let me rest and know you're with me

Kiss my cheek and hold my hand

I'm confused beyond your concept

I am sad and sick and lost

All I know is that I need you to be with me at all cost

Do not lose your patience with me

Do not scold or curse my cry

I can't help the way I'm acting

Can't be different though I try

Just remember that I need you

That the best of me is gone

Please don't fail to stand beside me 

Love me till my life is done

Being an advocate

Something I have found is that it is no good thinking that because you have put a loved one into care that you can leave them there and visit occasionally. Research tells us that when caregivers see the residents as people they treat them better. In order to do this the family can tell anecdotes about the loved ones life. Having books and photos about their lives are always of interest to others and it is interesting to see their attitudes change as they realise the interesting lives the residents have had.

I go and spend time with George every day. George hates being pushed into hurrying and then he resists making things more difficult for the caregivers. When I see this happening I, tactfully, explain that I think they may find it easier if they do....

I have seen a carer take down his pull-ups to check the catheter. The pull-up was soiled and the carer thought it was OK just to pull it up. I was not a happy bunny over that one.

It was the same with Mum. You need to watch and monitor some of the carers, others ofcourse are excellent.

Just remember that your loved one may not be able to make their needs known and it is important that they have someone ensuring that they get the best care possible.