Scientists examined almost 650 dementia patients and assessed when each one had been diagnosed with the condition.

They found people who spoke two or more languages experienced a later onset of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and frontotemporal dementia.

The bilingual advantage extended to illiterate people.

The scientists said it confirmed the observed effect was not caused by differences in formal education.

Read the full article at BBC

(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-24836837)

by David Bunnell

WHEN MY UNCLE BILLY TURNED 90, his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews; plus his few living friends, decided to get together and have a big birthday bash for him. Driving or flying in from around the country, we all gathered at his house in Omaha, Nebraska, where he lives with his wife Audry, who is quite a few decades younger. 

Yes, Uncle Billy, much to everyone’s shock married a much younger woman after his wife, Aunt June died in an automobile accident about 12 years ago. Only a few weeks after her death, he announced he had gotten married by the Omaha Justice of the Peace to Audry, who was then 32. Uncle Billy was 78.

In a strange way, it actually made sense.

An avid fitness freak, Uncle Billy went on daily bike rides of 10 miles or more, he swam frequently and also pumped iron at a nearby YMCA. He ate a healthy, mostly organic diet and claimed to sleep 10 hours a night, “like a baby.”

Mentally fit too, Uncle Billy liked to impress people by memorizing the words to popular songs which he would sing to us, making everyone laugh. (You have no idea how funny it can be to hear an 80-year-old man flawlessly singing the lyrics to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”)

His relationship with Audry seemed very loving. Half jokingly he once told me, “Audry and I wouldn’t make much sense if it wasn’t for Viagra.”

By Chris Weller | Sep 4, 2013

The slide into dementia is slow and painful, for those suffering directly and the loved ones on the periphery who must provide care while watching a trove of memories gradually erode. Patient care works inside this delicate balance, but going against the wishes of theAlzheimer’s Society, nearly all nursesin a recent survey reported telling the occasional white lie to avoid patient bereavement.

The ethics of such a practice are slippery. Memories keep people anchored in the shared reality of family members, friends, and even their conceptions of themselves. When anurse is asked about a family member who has been dead for years, she must negotiate a thin moral line: Does she tell a small lie to pacify the patient, or tell a potentially devastating truth? What if the scenario takes place on a regular basis?

Read the full article at Medical Daily 

(http://www.medicaldaily.com/98-nurses-admit-lying-dementia-sufferers-how-ethical-false-reality-255535)

By RACHEL REILLY

PUBLISHED: 13:04 EST, 27 August 2013

An innovative new approach which uses pop-up rooms designed to be reminiscent of a bygone era is helping to reassure dementia patients.

RemPods - which are set up like rooms from past decades - are used to help calm those in hospitals and care homes by taking them back to more familiar times.

Designed in retro themes they are filled with authentic furniture and memorabilia which is hoped to get dementia sufferers talking about the memories they still retain.

The pioneering design includes a 1950s pop-up pod, pub, cinema, dance hall and vintage store, as well as many others with features from the 1960s.

They have now become a fixture in more than 40 NHS Trusts, care homes, day centres and care charities since the company was founded in 2009.

And in a further boost to the unique nostalgia product creator Richard Ernest, 35, has now got the backing of two judges from BBC2’s Dragons’ Den to roll the pods out worldwide.

Mr Jones and Ms Meaden agreed to each give £50,000 to the project in exchange for a 22.5 per cent share.

Richard described the process of going on the show as 'one of the scariest things I’ve ever done' and now intends to break into the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.

The father-of-two, from Stroud, Gloucestershire, first came up with the idea of the pod after forming a close friendship with an elderly neighbour and his wife - who suffered with dementia.

Over a period of several months Richard drove Sydney Swash, 98, to and from a care home to see his terminally ill wife.

When she sadly passed away, the pair became close friends, going to the cinema together and to the local pub. 

Richard had also been going through a tough time after losing his job and splitting up with his girlfriend, so they became inseparable.

The trips with Sydney, who is now in a care home himself, became the inspiration behind Richard’s innovative product, Reminiscence Pods, or RemPods for short.

Read the full story at the Daily Mail 

Music and art are less vulnerable to cognitive decline, Canadian neurologists say

CBC News 

Posted: Aug 22, 2013 5:03 PM ET 

Last Updated: Aug 22, 2013 10:58 PM ET

Art and music are less vulnerable to cognitive decline, a new Canadian study suggests.

Neurologists at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto found that artists suffering from vascular dementia may still be able to draw spontaneously and from memory, despite being unable to complete simple, everyday tasks.

"We discovered that there is a disproportion between the degree that artists lose some of their memory function, their orientation and other day-to-day cognitive functions. But at the same time, some of their art form is preserved," Dr. Luis Fornazzari, a neurological consultant at St. Michael’s Hospital memory clinic and lead author of the paper, told CBC News.

Artists compared with non-artists are better protected, he added. "Due to their art, the brain is better protected [against] diseases like Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, and even strokes. They have more reserve in their brain in order to give functions.

Read more at CBC News 

Trouble recalling names is a common sign of old age. And now a new study suggests that simple tests measuring one's ability to recognize and name famous people such as Albert Einstein or Oprah Winfrey may help doctors identify early dementia in those 40 to 65 years old.

“These tests also differentiate between recognizing a face and actually naming it, which can help identify the specific type of cognitive impairment a person has,” said study author Tamar Gefen, a doctoral candidate in neuropsychology at the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center of Northwestern University.

Gefen told Huff/Post50 that, although several tests have assessed knowledge of famous faces in the past, many have included stimuli unfamiliar to younger people (some even age 40) seeking neurologic assessment or treatment for early dementia.

"This test includes images of faces [like Oprah] that are appropriate for a younger generation," she said.

Gefen also said that if anyone has difficulty identifying a famous person, or even a close loved one, they should seek a formal evaluation from a neurologist.

Read more at the Huffington Post 

"I don't have a daughter," she said matter of factly.

"Oh," I countered, picking up the family photo again and holding it out for her to see. "You just told me you have a daughter. Here she is."

Mary's face fell and she said very quietly, "I guess I do have a daughter."

I immediately felt sorry for her embarrassment and was disgusted with myself for having pointed out her mistake. I realized I'd just broken one of the cardinal rules for interacting with a person who has dementia. I'd just read it in The Best Friend's Approach that very morning: "Let the person save face."

When relating to a person with Alzheimer's, there are many guidelines to follow. I'm going to discuss five of the most basic ones here: 1) Don't tell them they are wrong about something, 2) Don't argue with them, 3) Don't ask if they remember something, 4) Don't remind them that their spouse, parent or other loved one is dead, and 5) Don't bring up topics that may upset them.

Read more at Huffington Post

A retired cardiologist sits at a table at Toronto’s L’Chaim Retirement Home, sorting through cardiograms. He’s not volunteering his time helping others, however. Unbeknownst to him, he’s working at keeping what memories he has.

L’Chaim is using the Montessori Method for Dementia program, a novel approach to combat dementia that has been rolling out in day centres and nursing homes across the country over the last few years. Taking the principles of the Montessori method created for children in the early 20th century and applying them to adults suffering from a range of cognitive diseases, the program is seen as a ray of hope in what is often a heartbreaking reality. More than half a million Canadians are currently affected by dementia, and with an aging population, it is poised to become an even greater concern.

by: Rita Altman / Posted: 07/24/2013

Have you ever witnessed a person who can no longer speak in a full sentence, but still can sing an entire song? Or have you ever listened and watched as a person with advanced memory loss beautifully plays an entire piece on a piano? In my work in memory care, I have had the privilege of having these types of experiences on many occasions. Regardless of how often this occurs, each time it happens I am no less inspired or amazed. The following are some ways that music plays such an important role in memory care.

1. Music stimulates the mind.

Some of the best memory care approaches are designed to tap into the retained abilities of the person with memory loss, focusing on their remaining strengths rather than their losses.According to Concetta Tomaino, executive director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function and senior vice president for Music Therapy at CenterLight Health Systems, "We now know from clinical case studies that music can affect -- in very specific ways -- human neurological, psychological and physical functioning in areas such as learning, processing language, expressing emotion, memory and physiological and motor responses."

Current research, also explains that the brain processes music in multiple areas. Interestingly enough, those areas tend to be less damaged by Alzheimer's disease. A great way to put this concept into practice is to include music into your loved one's day to bring them moments of enjoyment, familiarity and well-being.

Music therapy and music-appreciation programs are becoming a regular activity in some memory care and senior living communities. In fact, some forms of music therapy are even covered by medical insurance. Music is a wonderful medium for reminiscing with those with memory loss. While they may not recall every detail from events in the past, certain songs and types of music can stimulate the brain to recall some of the emotions and memories of days past.

Read more Huffington Post