Can a wearable digital camera help jog the memory of those with memory problems.
It’s an idea that is gaining momentum. Sensecam, a camera produced by Microsoft, is currently being tested by a number of universities in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
The Sensacam fits in the palm of your hand and can store up to 30,000 images. It is designed to take photos every 30 seconds of daily events which can then be played back later at high speed to jog a person’s memory.
A 63 year old woman with memory loss (caused by a brain infection) has been …read more

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of 52, Kate Clark became the first person with Alzheimer’s Disease to be on the board of Alzheimer’s New Zealand.

New York Times reporter Jane Gross recently moderated Taking Care: Helping Loved Ones as They Age, an interesting discussion on medical, financial and legal questions that need to be considered as people age. Experts on the various issues surrounding eldercare were gathered to share their insights into the best ways to deal with these issues…
A Sudden Shock to the System – Unexpected issues of long term care are discussed by Carol Levine, Dr. Audrey Chun and Vincent J. Russo.
The Fallacy of “Aging in Place” – M. David Vail, executive director of Atria Assisted Living in Stratford, Conn, talks …read more

Check out this clock created in Holland that is used to add structure in a user friendly way. Ideal for anyone with memory and confusion issues. The Clockweisser website, unfortunately, is in dutch but the video has english subtitles.
http://www.clockweisser.com/index.html

AGIS and Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) have teamed up to create a new Alzheimer’s and Dementia caregivers resource providing comprehensive online support for people caring for family and loved ones with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.
This new section includes research and medical information, current treatment options, warning signs and an Ask the Expert area that is maintained by a team of AFA licensed social workers. There is also a local search feature that will give caregivers access to specialized resources and facilities within their own community.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is introducing a ‘AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship’ in 2008. The $5,000 scholarship is designed to be used in the student’s first year of college.
Interested High School students (juniors and seniors) have to write a 1,200 words essay about ‘the impact Alzheimer’s Disease has one their own lives and what they have learned about themselves, their families and/or their community in coping with the disease.’. The application deadline is February 15th and details can be found at the website.
The AFA Teens website is also a great place for teens to visit to learn …read more

The Alzheimer’s Association has created a comprehensive portfolio of educational tools for Latinos who are considered to be one of the fastest growing populations in the United States with the disease. There are currently around 200,000 Latinos in America with the disease and it’s expected that this could increase to around 1.3 million by the year 2050.
Latinos apparently have a higher incidence of diabetes (64% higher than non-Hispanic white Americans), cardiovascular disease, elevated cholesterol, and hypertension – all factors that increase the risk for Alzheimer’s Disease.
To help provide information for the Latino community, the Alzheimer’s Association has the …read more

Did anyone get the chance to see There is a Bridge that is being played on public television stations across America ? It might not yet have reached your area. Check out the screening dates here and mark your calender. This is one documentary that shouldn’t be missed as it challenges the conventional notions that people with Alzheimer’s Disease are ‘unreachable’.
Hosted by former United States Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, There Is a Bridge weaves together interviews with experts and film footage of families dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Check out this video trailer to find out why you should try …read more

An informative three part video interview with Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH Professor of Psychiatry at the John Hopkins School of Medicine and co-author of The Thirty Six Hour Day, a family guide for caring for people with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Part One

Part Two

Part Two

A memory book is a great way to help those with Alzheimer’s disease maintain recall of short term and long term events.
Here’s a video that shows a memory book in action…

You can find more information on the Treasured Moments memory book here.