One of the most important things to realize about Alzheimer’s disease is that not everyone experiences the same symptoms or progresses through those symptoms at the same rate. With a disease that affects so many people, being able to notice symptoms as they appear can make a huge difference in preparing for the changes that are to come. If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the following information will help you understand how the stages of this disease can be identified.

• During the first stages, you may see a very mild decline in cognitive function. Your loved one may feel like they are having little lapses in memory, forgetting things like familiar words or where they left their keys.
• The next symptoms you may see consist of a mild level of cognitive decline. It is often at this point that many people are officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Friends and family will begin to notice cognitive difficulties. Some of the most common difficulties during this time can be an inability to remember words or names, trouble performing tasks in a social or work setting, forgetting things they just read or problems with organization.
• The next stage of symptom progression is considered mild or early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. It is very important for your loved one to keep up with medical appointments and maintain an open dialogue with their physician. They will experience a greater difficulty with important tasks like planning dinner or paying bills. They may begin to forget things about their own history and become moody or withdrawn in social settings.
• This next stage of Alzheimer’s is considered the moderate or mid-stage of the disease. You will notice that their memory continues to worsen and even some of their personality traits may begin to change. Your loved one may need extensive help with their activities of daily living and they may even begin to lose awareness of their surroundings during this time.
• The final stage of this disease is considered severe or late-stage Alzheimer's. You may see your loved one lose the ability to carry on a conversation or to control their movements. They may need help to eat or use the bathroom, muscles may grow to become rigid, and they may experience problems swallowing.

LivHOME understands that Alzheimer’s is a diagnosis that affects the entire family. Our team of professional Care Managers and Caregivers are experts in dementia and Alzheimer’s care. We take a holistic approach and successfully anticipate the needs of your loved one while enhancing their quality of life. LivHOME team members will work hard to provide the support and resources your loved one deserves.

A solution to the heinous disease, Alzheimer’s, might finally be within reach, as a University of Virginia Alzheimer’s team found that a special protein triggers a catastrophic reaction in the brain.

In their published study University of Virginia lead scientist Professor George Bloom found that the toxic protein, which has been known to play a key role in Alzheimer's, sticks together in the brains of people with Alzheimer's, and these deposits result in the destruction of key nerve cells. “We've confirmed that it converts more abundant beta-amyloids [proteins] into a form that is up to 100 times more toxic,” said Bloom, “making this a very dangerous killer of brain cells and an attractive target for drug therapy.”

Alzheimer’s disease has long been one of the most painful afflictions that older family members can succumb to, as it is the leading cause of dementia and is currently incurable. In a 2007 study, by Brookmeyer, it was predicted that 1 in 85 of all people globally would become afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Probiodrug, based in Halle, has completed phase I safety trials of a drug that suppresses an enzyme involved in the formation of pyroglu beta-amyloid.

Understanding the toxic proteins and learning to suppress them might unlock a treatment that can affectively suppress or eliminate Alzheimer’s. Because of the broad range of senior help, care management, and in-home care that LivHOME provides many elderly people that suffer from severe to mild cases of Alzheimer’s can continue to live in their homes with professional assistance and caregiving.

In many of these instances, non-medical care is the best way to achieve happy living for the family remaining at home. Hopefully, with the help of researchers and scientists working all over the world, Alzheimer’s can be treated and made curable.

Many people are now finding themselves placed in a new role of caregiver for an aging parent or loved one. Naturally, you want to provide the very best living environment for your elderly parent, but there may come a time when you just can’t do it alone. If you want to make sure your parent can continue safely living at home, professional senior care may be the perfect answer for your family. So, how do you find the right professional in-home care for your elderly loved one?

When considering professional in-home care, the first vital question to ask is how much help does your loved-one need on a daily basis. Some of the most important areas to evaluate would be personal and household care. Household care includes things like cooking, cleaning and doing laundry. Personal care includes bathing, dressing, preparing meals and personal hygiene. For example, you would want to determine if your parent is able to safely bathe and dress without assistance. If they take medications on a daily basis, can they safely administer their own medicine? Do you need someone to help drive your parent to doctor’s appointments? Do you need someone to check on your parent early in the morning or late at night?

LivHOME is one of the nation’s largest at-home care providers for seniors. Their mission is to help elderly adults remain living at home for as long as possible. They understand that each family is unique and therefore, each family will have its own set of needs. It’s for that very reason LivHOME provides you with Professional Geriatric Care Managers who are experts in geriatrics and specialize in areas of social work, nursing and mental health. The Professional Geriatric Care Managers provide an elite level of care and work closely with your family to evaluate your parent’s needs. Based on their clinical assessment, the Geriatric Care Manager will create a custom Plan of Care and then work with the Caregiver every step of the way to see the plan through.

LivHOME provides your family with a team of experienced professionals and an unsurpassed level of care. LivHOME works side by side with your family to provide a safe and healthy home environment for your elderly parent, and in the words of Mike Nicholson, LivHOME CEO, “We measure the success of our service by the answer to one question: “Is it good enough for my mom?’”

As Spring approaches, this is an excellent podcast by LivHOME's Care Manager about the unexpected rise in depression that seniors face. Care Managers are experts in screening for depression and putting a care plan together to address it, helping the senior regain quality of life. LivHOME Care Managers are available to work with families and help them address the issues surrounding depression.

“Typically, winter is associated with the blues and spring is considered a time of increased energy, optimism and hope. But for seniors suffering from depression, the change of season can make feelings of sadness, hopelessness and lethargy worse. The change of weather, often accompanied by longer, brighter days, can actually overwhelm seniors since they’re forced to adjust to new external conditions. This can make them feel extremely anxious, and in some cases, vulnerable and exposed.” Richard says.

Click here to listen to episode 28