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• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
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• The Alzheimer's Reading Room--Press Release
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A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's Disease: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 775 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

Is Alzheimer's Everywhere?

My name is Bob DeMarco, I am an Alzheimer's caregiver. My mother Dorothy, now 93 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's.

Is Alzheimer's everywhere?

I don't get out much these days. But, I make an effort to take my mother out every Friday night. We always go to a place where we can easily interact with people. This is part of the effort to keep my mother socialized and in the "world".

Last night, we went to Vic and Angelo's in downtown Delray Beach, Florida. A really fantastic venue. If you click on the image to the left, you'll hear a nice rendition of a song you might recognize.

Usually I stand and my mother sits. Since I always have a smile on my face, people find it easy to approach and talk with me.

Last night, I had a conversation with a woman and a man that were waiting to go inside (we were eating on the outside). Sure enough, the woman told me about her mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 58. She was a little surprised to see me, and my 93 year old out and about.

Now to my point. We went to Vic and Angelo's three out of the last four Friday's. And, every time I met someone that was related to a sufferer of Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's seems to be everywhere.

Advice and Insight into Alzheimer's disease
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100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

Examining the Impact of Alzheimer's Disease in America

More than half of Americans report that they have been touched by someone (living or deceased) who has Alzheimer's disease, and roughly a third of Americans are worried about getting Alzheimer's. The majority of Americans have a poor understanding of the fatal and progressive brain disease and the extent of its impact on individuals and society.

These are among the key findings of the HBO ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT/HARRIS INTERACTIVE CENSUS, a new survey that reveals the impact of Alzheimer's, what Americans think about the disease, and how it has affected them, their relatives and friends.

The survey found that:

• 54% of the U.S. population, or more than 100 million people, has been touched in some way by Alzheimer's.
• More than half (52%) of those surveyed reported knowing someone living with the disease or someone who had it, but is now deceased.

Source HBO and Harris Interactive

Original content the Alzheimer's Reading Room

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• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
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A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's Disease: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

Combination of Mediterranean Diet and Exercise Cuts the Risk of Alzheimer's by 60 Percent

My name is Bob DeMarco, I am an Alzheimer's caregiver. My mother Dorothy, now 93 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's disease.

I wrote previously about how exercise in a gym has an immediate positive effect on my mother's behavior and attitude. There are many articles here on the Alzheimer's Reading Room about the importance of a healthy diet, and how it could lower the risk of Alzheimer's in older age. I also wrote a few times about how a Mediterranean-type diet can help slow cognitive decline.

Now for the first time, a new research study has studied the combination of exercise and the Mediterranean diet -- the results are encouraging.

The study found that

• those subjects who were very physically active had a 33 percent risk reduction of Alzheimer’s,
• those who adhered more strongly to a Mediterranean-type diet had a 40 percent risk reduction.
• found that there was a gradual decreasing risk for Alzheimer’s in study participants who were reporting that they were both exercising a lot, and following a diet closer to the Mediterranean-type: those subjects had a 60 percent reduction in their risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room

Go here to read -- What is a Mediterranean Style Diet
Exercise and Mediterranean-type Diet Combined Appear to be Associated with Lower Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease
Findings of Observational Study Warrant Further Research in Controlled Clinical Trial to Clarify the Role of These and Other Possible Factors Contributing to AD Risk

Both being more physically active and adhering to a Mediterranean-type diet appears to be associated with reduced Alzheimer’s risk, according to a new report in the August 12, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

While previous studies have only investigated the association between either physical activity or diet and Alzheimer’s disease risk separately, this new research explored their combined association.

“Often times people who exercise also follow a healthy diet and vice versa. We wanted to tease out which of these two behaviors may be associated with lower risk for AD, or if the combination of the two is associated with decreased risk even further,” said Nikos Scarmeas, M.D., lead author of the study and associate professor of clinical neurology in the Department of Neurology, in the Sergievsky Center and in the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Medical Center.

This population-based study in a multi-ethnic community living in Northern Manhattan, observed 1880 elderly subjects, with an average age of 77. The participants were interviewed about their level of physical activity and dietary habits, and their responses were then summarized into two single scores. The study subjects were then followed to observe which subjects went on to develop Alzheimer’s over the course of approximately five and a half years.

To learn about their physical exercise routine, participants were queried about their activity during a two week period prior to the interview. The subjects were asked to quantify how many times they engaged in physical activity and for how long. Participants were queried regarding three categories of activities: vigorous activity (i.e., jogging etc), moderate activity (i.e., hiking, bicycling, etc), and light activity (i.e., golfing, gardening, etc).

For the dietary portion of the study, subjects were asked regarding their food consumption over the course of the previous year. Their responses were then grouped into nine food categories, the sum of which represented the Mediterranean-type diet score. A Mediterranean-type diet is typically characterized by high intake of fish, vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereals and monounsaturated fatty acids; relatively low intake of dairy products, meats and saturated fats; and moderate alcohol consumption.

The study found that those subjects who were very physically active had a 33 percent risk reduction of Alzheimer’s; those who adhered more strongly to a Mediterranean-type diet had a 40 percent risk reduction. In addition, Dr. Scarmeas and his colleagues found that there was a gradual decreasing risk for Alzheimer’s in study participants who were reporting that they were both exercising a lot and following a diet closer to the Mediterranean-type: those subjects had a 60 percent reduction in their risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.

“So it seemed that the more that they were doing in terms of both diet and exercise, the lower was their risk for the disease,” said Dr. Scarmeas.

Dr. Scarmeas further noted that even low degrees of physical activity reported by these elderly study subjects seemed to be associated with having a protective effect against Alzheimer’s.

“This study is important because it shows that people may be able to alter their risk of developing Alzheimer’s by modifying their lifestyles through diet and exercise,” said Dr. Scarmeas.

Dr. Scarmeas cautions, however, that this was an observational, epidemiological study – based on interviews with study subjects on their physical activity routines and dietary habits. Therefore, the associations were based on what subjects reported and no randomized interventions were done. Only a clinical trial type of design would offer additional information to help clarify the role of these behaviors and reveal other potential contributing factors.

“We know that some part of Alzheimer’s is related to genetic changes and as time goes on we discover more and more of these changes. But it is also possible that non-genetic changes, including lifestyle and behavior, may also be affecting our brain health and our risk of developing brain diseases, like Alzheimer’s, maybe in combination with our genetic predisposition,” said Dr. Scarmeas. “We need to understand and learn more about the exact biological mechanisms that may connect physical activity and diet with the biological changes of Alzheimer’s disease.”

“Since the benefits of following a healthy diet and remaining active have already been suggested as beneficial in other disease prevention and since based on the present and other similar studies we have some preliminary hints that this may also be helpful for brain health, it seems advisable that we emphasize not only to patients, but to healthy individuals, too, the importance of these lifestyle behaviors in affecting our overall health,” said Dr. Scarmeas.

Authors of the JAMA study include: Nikolaos Scarmeas, M.D.; Jose A. Luchsinger, M.D.; Nicole Schupf, Ph.D.; Adam M. Brickman, Ph.D.; Stephanie Cosentino, Ph.D.; Ming X. Tang, Ph.D.; and Yaakov Stern, Ph.D.

This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging.

Note: In the same issue of JAMA, Dr. Scarmeas co-authored with researchers from the Université Victor Ségalen Bordeaux 2 in France, a separate study titled, “Adherence to Mediterranean Diet, Cognitive Decline, and Risk of Dementia.” Dr. Scarmeas expressed his encouragement about the study, which helps to validate findings by Dr. Scarmeas and his colleagues on the association between the Mediterranean diet and a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease. More specifically, the French study found an association between higher adherence to this diet and slower rates of cognitive decline. No associations with risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease were noted in this study, but this was clearly due to methodological limitations including the relatively small number of study subjects who developed Alzheimer’s disease according to Dr. Scarmeas. Dr. Scarmeas also noted the significance of the fact that the French study looked at a different population, and in particular, a Mediterranean one.

Here is the link to the article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Physical Activity, Diet, and Risk of Alzheimer Disease

The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Medical Center is a multidisciplinary group that has forged links between researchers and clinicians to uncover the causes of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other age-related brain diseases and discover ways to prevent and cure these diseases. It functions in close cooperation with the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, the Department of Neurology and the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center.

Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, pre-clinical and clinical research, in medical and health sciences education, and in patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Established in 1767, Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons was the first institution in the country to grant the M.D. degree and is among the most selective medical schools in the country. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and state and one of the largest in the United States. For more information, please visit www.cumc.columbia.edu.

Contact:

Karin Eskenazi
ket2116@columbia.edu
212-305-3900

Elizabeth Streich
eas2125@columbia.edu
(212) 305-3900

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• The Alzheimer's Reading Room--Press Release
• Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
• Questions About Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimers and Dementia
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
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• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
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• A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis
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My name is Bob DeMarco, I am an Alzheimer's caregiver. My mother Dorothy, now 93 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's disease.

I wrote previously about how exercise in a gym has an immediate positive effect on my mother's behavior and attitude. There are many articles here on the Alzheimer's Reading Room about the importance of a healthy diet, and how it could lower the risk of Alzheimer's in older age. I also wrote a few times about how a Mediterranean-type diet can help slow cognitive decline.

Now for the first time, a new research study has studied the combination of exercise and the Mediterranean diet -- the results are encouraging.

The study found that

• those subjects who were very physically active had a 33 percent risk reduction of Alzheimer’s,
• those who adhered more strongly to a Mediterranean-type diet had a 40 percent risk reduction.
• found that there was a gradual decreasing risk for Alzheimer’s in study participants who were reporting that they were both exercising a lot, and following a diet closer to the Mediterranean-type: those subjects had a 60 percent reduction in their risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room

Go here to read -- What is a Mediterranean Style Diet
Exercise and Mediterranean-type Diet Combined Appear to be Associated with Lower Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease
Findings of Observational Study Warrant Further Research in Controlled Clinical Trial to Clarify the Role of These and Other Possible Factors Contributing to AD Risk

Both being more physically active and adhering to a Mediterranean-type diet appears to be associated with reduced Alzheimer’s risk, according to a new report in the August 12, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

While previous studies have only investigated the association between either physical activity or diet and Alzheimer’s disease risk separately, this new research explored their combined association.

“Often times people who exercise also follow a healthy diet and vice versa. We wanted to tease out which of these two behaviors may be associated with lower risk for AD, or if the combination of the two is associated with decreased risk even further,” said Nikos Scarmeas, M.D., lead author of the study and associate professor of clinical neurology in the Department of Neurology, in the Sergievsky Center and in the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Medical Center.

This population-based study in a multi-ethnic community living in Northern Manhattan, observed 1880 elderly subjects, with an average age of 77. The participants were interviewed about their level of physical activity and dietary habits, and their responses were then summarized into two single scores. The study subjects were then followed to observe which subjects went on to develop Alzheimer’s over the course of approximately five and a half years.

To learn about their physical exercise routine, participants were queried about their activity during a two week period prior to the interview. The subjects were asked to quantify how many times they engaged in physical activity and for how long. Participants were queried regarding three categories of activities: vigorous activity (i.e., jogging etc), moderate activity (i.e., hiking, bicycling, etc), and light activity (i.e., golfing, gardening, etc).

For the dietary portion of the study, subjects were asked regarding their food consumption over the course of the previous year. Their responses were then grouped into nine food categories, the sum of which represented the Mediterranean-type diet score. A Mediterranean-type diet is typically characterized by high intake of fish, vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereals and monounsaturated fatty acids; relatively low intake of dairy products, meats and saturated fats; and moderate alcohol consumption.

The study found that those subjects who were very physically active had a 33 percent risk reduction of Alzheimer’s; those who adhered more strongly to a Mediterranean-type diet had a 40 percent risk reduction. In addition, Dr. Scarmeas and his colleagues found that there was a gradual decreasing risk for Alzheimer’s in study participants who were reporting that they were both exercising a lot and following a diet closer to the Mediterranean-type: those subjects had a 60 percent reduction in their risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.

“So it seemed that the more that they were doing in terms of both diet and exercise, the lower was their risk for the disease,” said Dr. Scarmeas.

Dr. Scarmeas further noted that even low degrees of physical activity reported by these elderly study subjects seemed to be associated with having a protective effect against Alzheimer’s.

“This study is important because it shows that people may be able to alter their risk of developing Alzheimer’s by modifying their lifestyles through diet and exercise,” said Dr. Scarmeas.

Dr. Scarmeas cautions, however, that this was an observational, epidemiological study – based on interviews with study subjects on their physical activity routines and dietary habits. Therefore, the associations were based on what subjects reported and no randomized interventions were done. Only a clinical trial type of design would offer additional information to help clarify the role of these behaviors and reveal other potential contributing factors.

“We know that some part of Alzheimer’s is related to genetic changes and as time goes on we discover more and more of these changes. But it is also possible that non-genetic changes, including lifestyle and behavior, may also be affecting our brain health and our risk of developing brain diseases, like Alzheimer’s, maybe in combination with our genetic predisposition,” said Dr. Scarmeas. “We need to understand and learn more about the exact biological mechanisms that may connect physical activity and diet with the biological changes of Alzheimer’s disease.”

“Since the benefits of following a healthy diet and remaining active have already been suggested as beneficial in other disease prevention and since based on the present and other similar studies we have some preliminary hints that this may also be helpful for brain health, it seems advisable that we emphasize not only to patients, but to healthy individuals, too, the importance of these lifestyle behaviors in affecting our overall health,” said Dr. Scarmeas.

Authors of the JAMA study include: Nikolaos Scarmeas, M.D.; Jose A. Luchsinger, M.D.; Nicole Schupf, Ph.D.; Adam M. Brickman, Ph.D.; Stephanie Cosentino, Ph.D.; Ming X. Tang, Ph.D.; and Yaakov Stern, Ph.D.

This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging.

Note: In the same issue of JAMA, Dr. Scarmeas co-authored with researchers from the Université Victor Ségalen Bordeaux 2 in France, a separate study titled, “Adherence to Mediterranean Diet, Cognitive Decline, and Risk of Dementia.” Dr. Scarmeas expressed his encouragement about the study, which helps to validate findings by Dr. Scarmeas and his colleagues on the association between the Mediterranean diet and a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease. More specifically, the French study found an association between higher adherence to this diet and slower rates of cognitive decline. No associations with risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease were noted in this study, but this was clearly due to methodological limitations including the relatively small number of study subjects who developed Alzheimer’s disease according to Dr. Scarmeas. Dr. Scarmeas also noted the significance of the fact that the French study looked at a different population, and in particular, a Mediterranean one.

Here is the link to the article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Physical Activity, Diet, and Risk of Alzheimer Disease

The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Medical Center is a multidisciplinary group that has forged links between researchers and clinicians to uncover the causes of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other age-related brain diseases and discover ways to prevent and cure these diseases. It functions in close cooperation with the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, the Department of Neurology and the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center.

Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, pre-clinical and clinical research, in medical and health sciences education, and in patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Established in 1767, Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons was the first institution in the country to grant the M.D. degree and is among the most selective medical schools in the country. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and state and one of the largest in the United States. For more information, please visit www.cumc.columbia.edu.

Contact:

Karin Eskenazi
ket2116@columbia.edu
212-305-3900

Elizabeth Streich
eas2125@columbia.edu
(212) 305-3900

More from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

• The Alzheimer's Reading Room--Press Release
• Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
• Questions About Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimers and Dementia
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
• Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away
• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
• What is Dementia?
• A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis
• 80 Percent of Medical Bills Contain Errors -- Fighting Mistakes

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

Original content the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's: A Wonderful Moment in Time--Mom Dances

Wonderful people.

I have a vivid image of the look on mom's face and of us dancing. I will have that image in my mind forever. This is the kind of moment that really knocks home to me why I am here with mom. Moments like this help keep me energized and focused.

My name is Bob DeMarco, I am an Alzheimer's caregiver. My mother, Dorothy, now 93 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's disease.

One of the biggest problems I face as a caregiver is keeping my mother socialized. If it was up to her she would sit around all day in the dark, rarely speaking. If you have experienced this as a caregiver, you know how really disconcerting this can be.

Subscribe to Living Alzheimer's from the Front Row

About three years ago, I decided to take my mother out to the Banana Boat in Boynton Beach. The Banana Boat is an outdoor restaurant on the Intercoastal Waterway in south Florida. The "Boat" has an outdoor restaurant and an outdoor bar where you can eat and listen to live music. Since my mother rarely speaks when we go out to dinner, I decided we would sit at the bar and eat. I was hoping mom would benefit from being around people; and that, she would benefit from seeing people interact with each other. I chose an this outdoor venue because it has lots of bright light; and, bright light has a very positive effect on my mother's attitude and behavior.

When it came time to eat, my mother ordered chicken wings and french fries--this has always been one of her favorites. I felt a bit of joy when the food came and my mother's eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw--a big basket of french fries. She was delighted. Somehow these moments are becoming more and more important to me.

We had a very good time that night and I decided to do it the next Friday night. Pretty soon we were doing it most Friday nights.

After a few weeks, women started to come over and talk to us. The attraction was an older man with his elderly mother. They wanted to tell us how nice it was to see us. Keep in mind my mother is 92 years old. When they learned my mother was suffering from Alzheimer's disease they became sad. Fortunately, it didn't deter them from coming up and talking to my mother. I am grateful for this.

Soon both women and men were coming over to talk. This was working out better than I had ever imagined.

This new activity at the Banana Boat included: exercise, bright light, and lots of social interaction for both mom and me. I am always trying to find ways to keep "us" socialized. If you are an Alzheimer's caregiver you understand the importance of getting out and around. It is a good mental health break for both the person suffering from Alzheimer's and their caregiver.

The Banana Boat is the kind of place that attracts many of the same people week-in-week-out. Since we go around 6:30 we catch the happy hour crowd many of whom stay until 8.

After a while, a small group of people started saving a chair for my mother--they were expecting us. The first time we missed a Friday, one woman asked for our phone number and told me they were worried about "mom" when we didn't show up. Now we call to let them know when we can't make it on a Friday night.

As time went on, our little group of friends started to get bigger and this turned out to be a "God send". Each week, one by one these wonderful people come up and start talking to my mother. She really enjoys this and her attitude perks up right away. They treat her just like everyone else and talk to her like she is one of the gang. This year a group got together and took my mother to the casino to play slot machines on her birthday. I cannot put into words how much this meant to mom and me.

My mother loved to dance. So, each and every week I asked her if she wanted to dance. Our new friends would also ask mom to dance--men and women alike. I could tell mom wanted to dance but she always said--no. Mom is no longer confident around crowds or people she doesn't know. While her instincts tell her she wants to dance her brain is sending a very different message. I can tell you mom was never shy about dancing and she is a good dancer.

I repeatedly asked mom if she wanted to dance. She repeatedly said, no. One night when we were getting ready to leave, and as mom stood up, I started dancing with her right on the spot. She was shaking it a little bit and had a big smile on her face. By the time we were done, people had tears in their eyes. and smiles as big as big could be. Wonderful people.

I have a vivid image of the look on mom's face as we danced. I will have that image in my mind forever. This is the kind of moment that really knocks home to me why I am here with mom. Situations like this really help remind me how wonderful things can be; and, when the caregiving gets difficult I remind myself of moments like this.

I can assure you it was really a wonderful moment in time.

Bob and Dorothy live in Delray Beach, Florida.

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

More from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

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• Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
• Questions About Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimers and Dementia
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
• Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away
• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
• What is Dementia?
• A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis
• 80 Percent of Medical Bills Contain Errors -- Fighting Mistakes

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

(R)evolution in Alzheimer's Related Caregiving

One of my greatest fears is the day I might have to place my mother in an Alzheimer's care facility. I say might because I pray that I'll never have to do it.

I receive emails all the time from people that experience the guilt, angst, and remorse of having place their loved one in a Alzheimer's care facility that provides little care, and is a horrid environment for their loved one.

Our reader Rose LaMatt, wrote of her own nightmare experience after she placed her loved one into an Alzheimer's care facility. In Just a Word, she writes with real, raw, emotion about the myriad of feelings she experienced when moving her loved one from the first Alzheimer's care facility to a second. Reading her words were eye opening, and gut wrenching.

Sadly, its ugly out there.

It doesn't have to be that way...........

To continue reading go here.

Subscribe to Alzheimer's Front Row--via Email

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

More from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

• The Alzheimer's Reading Room--Press Release
• Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
• Questions About Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimers and Dementia
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
• Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away
• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
• What is Dementia?
• A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis
• 80 Percent of Medical Bills Contain Errors -- Fighting Mistakes

Original content the Alzheimer's Reading Room

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems