We have a widespread idea in our culture that receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is akin to the end of life itself. When it comes to something like early-onset Alzheimer’s, occurring in people typically in their 40s-60s, the pessimistic view about living with dementia is even stronger.

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There are night owls and early birds, but what if you aren’t either? The internet has created a new winged creature to describe the odd sleepers — the permanently exhausted pigeon. While this is good for a chuckle and a repost on social media, sleeplessness and excessive sleepiness can be a source of stress and frustration.

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Some apps in the online stores can waste time, money and memory space on your gadget. This series scours the internet and finds the handiest apps that are not a passing fad. The following group of apps has been tested here in our home office.

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By Deborah Bier, PhD, director of special populations

Hoarding is a complex, difficult to solve situation. It requires a deep understanding of the situation, the underlying causes and how to create workable solutions that include all stakeholders. No two cases of hoarding are the same. In fact, there are several conditions that include hoarding behavior as a symptom.These include: 

• Schizophrenia
• Diogenese syndrome
• Isolated syllogomania
• Obsessive compulsive disorder
• Various types of dementia

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While the name sounds unnerving, congestive heart failure (CHF) does not mean the heart has stopped working, but rather the heart’s ability to pump has declined. Similar to how your sinuses become congested due to a cold or allergies, the body can become congested with blood and fluid when the heart isn’t pumping correctly. CHF, also known as heart failure, falls under the umbrella of heart disease. Other forms of heart disease, such as coronary heart disease, hypertension and cardiomyopathy, can cause CHF. In addition, thyroid diseases, diabetes, HIV, and an excessive accumulation of iron and protein can contribute to CHF.

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Home should be a place of comfort and safety. As time passes, however, we can become a little too comfortable in those familiar surroundings to recognize emerging safety concerns. For this reason, living safely at home can turn into a challenge for older adults. 

With increasing age, vision and hearing become less acute, balance is less steady and reaction time slows. Household and personal tasks that were once easy and safe to complete can turn into difficult and dangerous activities.

Make Necessary Repairs

Make it a priority to look around your loved one's home for potential safety hazards. Take time to check that all appliances, electrical devices and outlets are in good working order. If necessary, make repairs and replacements. It's important to personally assess the situation. Your loved one may be reluctant to bring any household problems to your attention due to concerns about costs, maintaining personal independence or simply not wanting to make extra work for you. 

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Late spring and early summer mark the beginning of vacations for many people. However, while you are relaxing poolside, fraudsters are working hard to snatch your money. Here are four scams to beware during these vacationing months.

Phishing for a Plane Ticket

Have you ever received an email to confirm a purchase you made online? The same principle applies, except you never reserved a flight. Con artists create realistic email confirmations with an airline’s logo, PDF attachments, and links claiming to take you to the airline’s help desk or home page. You may be inclined to select one of the links or attachments to try to figure out this obvious error. However, once the link or attachment is clicked, malware infiltrates your computer and can gather personal or financial information. If you are concerned about a suspicious email, directly contact your airline. Delta Air Lines, for example, has a page on their website dedicated to combating phishing emails.

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According to the Alzheimer’s Association, by the end of life, 1 in 3 elders will have some form of dementia. Despite the large number of people affected, there are still many misunderstandings and myths about dementia. Knowing more can help us better understand and care for those who live with dementia. This article will address five of the most common myths.

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Some apps in the online stores can waste time, money and memory space on your gadget. This series scours the internet and finds the handiest apps that are not a passing fad. The following group of apps has been tested here in our home office.

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What is your favorite thing to wake up to in the morning? Is it rolling over and seeing your special person snore quietly? Maybe it’s the excited giggles from your child or grandchild? Is it the sun peaking over the horizon?

Let’s be honest; it’s probably none of those things. Those greeting cards and movie moments are mostly a sweet mirage. Waking up, in reality, can be difficult, especially when you are trading the warmth of happy dreams for the busy daily demands of life. One way to make the morning brighter is to drink a fresh-brewed cup of coffee. Coffee can help pull people out of a sleepy stupor and energize them to face the day.

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