It’s exciting when you’re asked to share your knowledge and story at another web site or blog.  My story concerning one situation with Mother, Resolutions Aren’t Static in an Alzheimer’s World, appeared at CareStation on the AGIS site.

As soon as we resolve to follow a specific agenda or schedule when caring for our family member with Alzheimer’s, everything changes! Thus, many of our New Year’s resolutions don’t remain static.

I hoped to share here the fact that even though your life and caregiving tactics may change frequently, you can get through it.  Mother’s Alzheimer’s condition often necessitated changes in my husband’s and my plans.  This was particularly true one holiday season, a story which I relate at CareStation.

(Incidentally, Liz Lewis, my co-blogger here at Alzheimer’s Notes, recently wrote about AGIS, New Online Resource from Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and AGIS.)

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

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Mary Emma Allen Guest Writer at CareStation on AGIS

Here’s the links to the Alzheimer’s Disease articles just in case you missed them.

Finding Alzheimer’s Before a Mind Fails

When Both Parents Suffer Dementia, Children Suspect It is Also in Their Future

Disease Brings Drastic Changes to Patients, and Stress to Family Members

In the Absence of a Gene That Says ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, the Value of One That Says ‘Maybe’ is Questioned

There are also two videos that highlight personal struggles with Alzheimer’s Disease…

Alzheimer’s: Quest for Understanding that looks at one woman’s determination to help scientists understand the disease.

Alzheimer’s: The Rarest Gene that looks at a family’s strugge with early onset Alzheimer’s.

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New York Times looks at Alzheimer’s Disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is both the subject and the title for Montreal artist Pascal Dufaux’s oddly penetrating photo-installation [of his uncle] now in one small room at Galerie Joyce Yahouda, according to the article.

“Taking photos of an Alzheimer’s patient!” you exclaim.  “I’d never do that.”

However, I find the photos we took of Mother, alone and with us, also remind us of happy times, as well as the bittersweet ones.  These are times when we could bring her enjoyment, times we learned to love her in a different way, times my grandchildren remember as part of their family heritage.

I’ve created a photo album with a progression of these photos of Mother and our family and call it A Legacy of Love.  I would like to write journal entries and include those, possibly publishing this for each family member who wants to remember her Alzheimer’s years with something other than sadness.

Do you have photos to remind you of the happier jAlzheimer’s times?  Perhaps these will help you accept Alzheimer’s as a part of life, as Dufaux said his uncle did in this quote from the article. 

Strangely, according to Dufaux, his uncle accepted this as part of life, and not just as a death sentence. Indeed, Dufaux goes on to assert that, “this was in a way a lovely moment for my uncle, who before his illness had hidden his natural humility.” Now, apparently, he can actually open up more.

(To learn more about Dufaux, his uncle, and the photo exhibit, check out the article at the link above.)

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Photographs of the Alzheimer’s Patient

Stem cells ‘may reverse Alzheimer’s symptoms’ (Daily Mail, UK) – Scientists have moved a crucial step towards reversing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease by using stem cells…(more)

Black, Hispanic Alzheimer’s Patients Live Longer Than Others (Medical News Today) – Black and Hispanic Alzheimer’s patients live longer than whites, Asian-Americans and American Indians who have the disease, according to a study published online Tuesday in the journal Neurology, HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report reports…(more)

Oils may cut Alzheimer’s risk (The Guardian, UK) – Eating a diet rich in omega-3 oils such as rapeseed, flaxseed and walnut oil could reduce the risk of suffering Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia by 60%, according to a study of more than 8,000 people…(more)

An Alzheimer’s vaccine? (OMRF) – A new research study from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation shows that immunization could offer a way to blunt or even prevent the deadly, memory-robbing disease…(more)

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Alzheimer’s News From Around the World.

Finding the Right Words (The Guardian Weekly) – a book with pictures to help those that are lost for words.

Progress Cited in Alzheimer’s Diagnosis (New York Times) – scientists report progress in the development of a blood test that can diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease.

Doctors Discuss Theories on Aging Brains (Los Angeles Times) – a discussion on normal cognitive aging.

Tooth Troubles Could Raise Dementia Risk (Washington Post)

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Roundup of articles about Alzheimer’s worth reading.

Caring Today is written by experienced caregivers, provides practical advice and knowledge for familly caregivers. Articles and resources offer stress relief advice, expert opinions and a forum to discuss and ask questions.

Recent articles include ‘6 Ways to Bust a Bad Mood’ about dealing with caregiver blues, The Slipping Away Time about a son helping his mother face Alzheimer’s Disease, and When Caring Becomes Plural about a daughter caring for two ailing parents.

Articles and information is available at the Caring Today website. There is also a print magazine

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Alzheimer’s resources: Caring Today magazine and website.

I discovered the Brain Fitness Carnival the other day. Hosted by the Center of Emotional Wellbeing, the carnival featured over twenty interesting and informative articles relating to the brain and brain fitness. It’s well worth a visit.

There are two Alzheimer’s related articles in the carnival:

Make use of early Alzheimer’s Plateau from Med Journal Watch

Alzheimer’s Disease from B12 Patch.

Happy reading…

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Articles on Alzheimer’s Disease found at the Brain Fitness Carnival.

Confronting Alzheimer’s by Barbara Kantrowitz and Karen Springen

Talk Transcript: Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s

Remembering Mom – a podcast in which New Yorker Barri Falk talks about caring for her mother who lived with Alzheimer’s disease.

A Guide for Caregivers by Joan Raymond

Hooking Grandma Up by Alexandra Gekas – about easy ways to use technology to help take care of aging relatives.

The long Goodbye – a photographic journey

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Newsweek on Alzheimer’s.

Prevent or Delay Alzheimer’s Disease – a daughter of an Alzheimer’s patient searches the literature to find out what could prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Who watches out for the caregiver? Article includes tips for caregivers on how to take care of themselves as well.

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You Are Not Alone: Alzheimer’s Stories from Around the World.

These were “Green Tea for Your Green Matter” with information acquired from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2/06) and “Exercise to Stay Sharp” with data from the Annals of Internal Medicine (1/17/06).

The possibilities of drinking green tea to keep your mind sharp and the benefits of moderate, regular exercise to delay Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia in older people were explored with reference to studies in the above publications.

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Alzheimer’s Featured in Nature’s Place