Alzheimer’s disease in Florida

Crisis looms as boomers age
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Alvin Loewenberg, CEO of a San Antonio long-term care facility, is concerned that the country is not taking the healthcare challenges of the large and aging baby boomer population seriously enough.  Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions are expected to strike many of them, and it’ll require a lot of resources to care for them.

Big belly in your 40s found to be predictor of dementia
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
A Kaiser Permanente Division of Research study suggests that people with large bellies in their 40s are more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease in their 70s.

Large bellies linked to Alzheimer’s, dementia
St. Petersburg Times
See the story above.

Developer plans Stuart adult living facility
Treasure Coast News
Hallmark Holdings is planning on building a senior living facility in Stuart, Florida with some rooms geared towards people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers use light to detect Alzheimer’s
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
A research team in Massachusetts is testing the use of near-infrared light in diagnosing Alzheimer’s.

Is Alzheimer’s a disease, or just an aging brain?
Tampa Tribune
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine’s Dr. Peter J. Whitehouse thinks that Alzheimer’s disease is merely "normal brain aging."

Home bipolar disorder test causes stirs
Daytona Beach News-Journal (Associated Press)
Government officials are troubled by the growing number of over the counter tests that claim to diagnose conditions like bipolar disorder and Alzheimer’s disease.

Music as Medicine
WWSB-TVABC Channel 7
Musical therapy can help Alzheimer’s patients calm down and improve their memory.

10 Million Baby Boomers Face Alzheimer’s, Report Predicts
WWSB-TV ABC (Sarasota)
The Alzheimer’s Association expects about 10 million baby boomers to develop the condition, and that will place a massive strain on the health care system.

Walking Changes May Be Alzheimer’s Sign
NBC Channel 6 (South Florida)
Findings from a University of Florence study suggest that changes in a person’s balance and walking ability are signs that a person has Alzheimer’s disease.

Report: Baby Boomers Headed For Alzheimer’s Epidemic
WTLH-TV FOX (Tallahassee)
As baby boomers age, experts expect the number of people who suffer from Alzheimer’s to increase substantially.

Handle money matters early
Ft. Myers News-Press
A study from the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center finds that those with early stage Alzheimer’s disease lose the ability to handle financial matters quickly.  Thus, they shouldn’t wait long to make proper arrangements to ensure that their money is dealt with according to their desires.

Distance caring services help relatives arrange needed services for elderly
Orlando Sentinel
There is a burgeoning industry of care managers who look after elderly parents for far flung adult children.  This is particularly helpful when a parent has a condition like Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s Burden To Some Is Double
Tampa Tribune
Caring for one parent with Alzheimer’s disease is tough, and dealing with both parents that have the condition is not only harder but also increases the chances of the children of developing it.

Alzheimer’s drug trials seek participants
Bradenton Herald
The Roskamp Institute is seeking people willing to participate in clinical trials to test the potential Alzheimer’s disease medications Bepineuzumab and ELND005 that hope to reduce plaque in the brain that cause this condition.