In a recent report released by the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that Alzheimer’s disease and dementia triple the health-care costs for those seniors.The people who live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities pay an average of $17,000 in out-of-pocket costs each year, researchers found. The association also estimates that nearly 10 million unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease spent 8.5 billion hours in 2008 watching over their loved ones, care valued at an estimated $94 billion.

About 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, according to the association’s Facts and Figures report for 2009. The number includes about 14 percent of people aged 71 and older.

The report finds that:

The average annual health-care cost for someone older than 65 with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia was $33,007 in 2004 — three times more than the $10,603 for people that age without the conditions.
Deaths from Alzheimer’s disease rose by 47 percent from 2000 to 2006 while the number of deaths from several other major diseases — including heart attack, stroke, breast cancer and prostate cancer — fell during that period.
States in the Rocky Mountains and Northwest will see the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease increase by at least 81 percent between 2000 and 2025.
By 2025, California and Florida will each be home to more than a half-million people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Startling Stats! You can visit www.alz.org to read the entire article.

A recent research study suggests there may one day be a blood test to accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and its level of severity.

A team of scientists from the Medical College of Georgia and the University of Georgia discovered a “strong and consistent relationship” between certain antibodies and levels of cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer’s. The antibodies are created when the body detects the presence of two specific proteins that are strongly associated with Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid-beta protein and RAGE protein.

For the study, researchers took blood samples from 118 older adults and compared antibody levels with levels of cognitive impairment. Researchers hope the discovery of the link between the two factors will eventually lead to a blood test for the disease.

The research can be found in the current issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.

The Journal of Neurophysiology resported thata recent study has been in the works that is working on on a way to “inoculate” seniors against falls. Those efforts appear to be paying off, according to recent reports.

For this study, researchers trained eight volunteers on a moveable platform, causing the participants to lose their balance. When walking across a vinyl floor with a hidden slippery spot, the group that had trained on the platform did not slip, and only one person lost balance. A control group of untrained balancers did not fare so well. Those who had trained on the platform also were able to control the slide of their feet much better than the control group.

Researchers beleive that seniors can be similarly trained to develop such fall-response skills, and that previous research has found that seniors are as able to learn new skills as younger adults.

In the January issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease a recent study found that individuals who drink three to five cups of coffee in middle age have lower risks for dementia and Alzheimer’s later in life than those who drink more, or steer clear of the brew altogether.

“Given the large amount of coffee consumption globally, the results might have important implications for the prevention of or delaying the onset of dementia/AD,” said lead researcher Miia Kivipelto an associate professor at the University of Kuopio in Finland and Karolinska Institute in Sweden. “The finding needs to be confirmed by other studies, but it opens the possibility that dietary interventions could modify the risk of dementia/AD. Also, identification of mechanisms of how coffee exerts its protection against dementia/AD might help in the development of new therapies for these diseases.”

Source: Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease

A recent study shows that seniors who moderately consume alcohol lower their odds of developing physical problems. This finding applied to seniors in good health. Subjects in poor or fair health did not see any benefits from alcohol consumption.The study did not examine the causes of these findings.In the study, “seniors” referred to men and women over age 50. Light to moderate drinkers were defined as those who consumed fewer than 15 drinks a week and fewer than five per day (fewer than four daily for women); heavy drinkers were those who consumed 15 or more drinks weekly (or five or more per day); and abstainers were those who drank fewer than 12 alcoholic drinks during the last 12 months.

The researchers, led by Dr. Arun Karlamangla, a geriatrician at the University of California, Los Angeles, analyzed data taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey’s Epidemiologic Follow-up Study, which included self-reported data from more than 4,200 men and women. About 92 percent of study participants were white; the average study participant was 60 years old.

You can find the study at cnn.com

In more than half of the studies, published since the 1990s, moderate drinkers of wine, beer and liquor had lower dementia risks than nondrinkers. In only a few studies were there increased risks.

“Alcohol is a two-edged sword,” said Michael Collins, Ph.D., a professor and neuroscientist at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and lead author of the refereed report in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. “Too much is bad. But a little might actually be helpful.”

Moderate alcohol consumption generally is defined as 1 drink or less per day for women and 1-2 drinks or less per day for men.

The article will be published in the February 2009 issue of the journal, and is available on line now. The article summarizes a roundtable, organized by Collins, held at the Research Society on Alcoholism meetings in Chicago in 2007.

“The pathological damage and vast social havoc from addiction to and abuse of alcohol are well known, and of necessity should continue to receive primary attention by doctors, scientific researchers and health professionals,” Collins and colleagues write. “However, light-to-moderate responsible alcohol consumption “appears to carry certain health benefits.”

Long-term alcohol abuse can cause memory loss and impair cognitive function. It’s unknown why moderate alcohol use appears to have the opposite effect. One theory is that the well-known cardiovascular benefits of moderate alcohol consumption also can reduce the risk of mini strokes that cause dementia.

Collins and another Loyola professor, neuroscientist Edward Neafsey, Ph.D., suggest a second possible explanation. Small amounts of alcohol might, in effect, make brain cells more fit. Alcohol in moderate levels stresses cells and thus toughens them up to cope with major stresses down the road that could cause dementia.

For most people who drink responsibly and in moderation, there’s probably no reason to quit. But because of the potential for alcohol to be abused, Collins and Neafsey do not recommend that abstainers begin drinking. The researchers note there are other things besides moderate drinking that can reduce the risk of dementia, including exercise, green tea, education and a Mediterranean diet high in fruits, vegetables, cereals, beans, nuts and seeds.

Moreover, there are times when people should never drink, including adolescence, pregnancy and before driving, Collins said.

Source: Loyola University

A recent study done by North Carolina State University found that spikes in blood pressure are directly linked to diminished cognitive function among the elderly. This correlation holds especially true for those seniors with already high blood pressure, their report suggests. Study subjects with an average systolic blood pressure of 130 or higher experienced a significant decrease in cognitive function when faced with a sudden spike in blood pressure.

Typically, such spikes occur during stressful moments, report authors say. This suggests that some seniors may find it hard to think rationally or logically during stressful situations. Report authors note that seniors with normal or lower blood pressure do not experience the same diminished cognitive functions under stress. 

Source: Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences.

American Specialty Health (ASH), a leading national health improvement organization, announced that Inter Valley Health Plan, a non-profit, federally qualified Medicare Advantage program, has selected its Silver&Fit(r) senior fitness program for its 14,600 eligible members in California.
“Inter Valley Health Plan prides itself on providing our members with excellent health plans and knowledge to help them live a long and happy life,” said Ronald Bolding, Inter Valley Health Plan CEO and President. “Aligning with ASH fits our vision perfectly because the Silver&Fit senior fitness program is considered one of the best in the industry.”
Upon enrolling in Silver&Fit, Inter Valley Health Plan members will receive a no-cost membership at a local participating fitness club. Their Silver&Fit membership will include all of the standard amenities offered by that club’s basic membership, such as access to free weights, cardiovascular equipment, and where available, pools, saunas, and whirlpool facilities.
Seniors who are not able to participate at the fitness club-or that simply prefer to work out at home-may participate instead in the Silver&Fit Home Fitness Program. Upon enrollment, Silver&Fit members will receive an Exercise Kit and a Walking Kit, which include tools to help them perform exercises at home. Inter Valley Health Plan Home Fitness Program members may receive DVDs or Internet access to a variety of exercise classes, all of which are designed specifically for older adults.
All Silver&Fit members receive a quarterly newsletter, access to SilverandFit.com, and a toll-free hotline to provide information and answers to any questions about the program.
“Studies continue to show that regular physical activity can help seniors stay vital and healthy as they age,” said ASH chairman and chief executive officer George DeVries. “By providing the Silver&Fit program to its senior members, Inter Valley Health Plan is ensuring a better quality of life for those who participate.”
Silver&Fit was developed to assist older adults in beginning or continuing a regular exercise program. Regular exercise has shown to be an important element in preventing some medical conditions, including high blood pressure and heart and lung disease. Cardiovascular and strength training can also help seniors improve their balance and become more flexible, preventing common slips and falls and speeding up the recovery period from such injuries. Access to the network of exercise facilities is provided through ASH subsidiary American Specialty Health Networks, Inc.

I recently read an interesting article about PACE. Here is more information about the program.

PACE is an All-inclusive Care Program for the Elderly . The model is centered around the belief that it is better for the well-being of seniors with chronic care needs and their families to be served in the community whenever possible.

According to the National PACE Association, there are 16,000 participants in PACE nationwide. The average client is 80 and takes eight prescription medications. Participants have to be 55 or older, certified by their state to need nursing home care and be able to live safely in the community.

Each PACE program receives a fixed amount per person from a patient’s state Medicaid program — usually 85% to 90% of estimated nursing home costs. Medicare funds come through a risk-adjusted formula in which the program receives more for sicker enrollees. PACE becomes both the patient’s insurer and care provider and is obliged to pay for all of the patient’s medical care from the point of enrollment forward.

Services include:

Delivering all needed medical and supportive services, the program is able to provide the entire continuum of care and services to seniors with chronic care needs while maintaining their independence in their homes for as long as possible. 

Care and services include:

• Adult day care that offers nursing; physical, occupational and recreational therapies; meals; nutritional counseling; social work and personal care
• Medical care provided by a PACE physician familiar with the history, needs and preferences of each participant
• Home health care and personal care
• All necessary prescription drugs
• Social services
• Medical specialists such as audiology, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, and speech therapy
• Respite care
• Hospital and nursing home care when necessary

The benefits of PACE are that participants are supported by a coordinated medical team that the federal government hopes will cut costs and improve life for the elderly.

A form of vitamin B3, Nicotinamide has been found to get rid of Alzheimer’s disease-related memory problems in lab mice, according to new research. Vitamin B3 is available over the counter at a low price.

The study showed that when mice that were bred to exhibit symptoms of Alzheimer’s received the human equivalent of two or three grams of B3, they acted as if they had never developed the disease, said one University of California researcher.

The vitamin acts in the brain to clear tau “tangles,” of Alzheimer’s disease. While the vitamins are available over the counter and are relatively safe, researchers warn that high doses such as the ones used in the study could potentially be dangerous. Researchers are currently enlisting people for human trials. Their research appears in the November 5 online version of the Journal of Neuroscience.