There have been great strides made in modern healthcare. Living standards are higher. Almost every day one reads about research that has the potential to improve people’s lives. Today people live longer than at any other time during history. Sure, that is all positive, but what about the debilitating disease known as Alzheimer’s?
September 21st is known as World Alzheimer’s Day. Research shows that a “new case of Alzheimer’s is now diagnosed every 66 seconds.” Certainly, that is enough urgency for a genius scientist and their research team to work around the clock to slow it down, if not to eradicate it completely.
Researchers have made significant progress in finding solutions for other illnesses that afflict the elderly such as heart disease and cancer, so why not Alzheimer’s?
The root of the problem is a lack of effective solutions and treatments to slow down the spread of Alzheimer’s.
There are plenty of firms presenting promising solutions. These state-of-the-art treatments create a bubble of optimism. Sometimes that bubble bursts when clinical trials fail to produce what is expected.
What is Alzheimer’s and does it only affect the elderly?
Alzheimer’s is the main root cause of dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “Alzheimer’s is a general term for memory loss and of other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life.” Many wrongly assume that Alzheimer’s is a disease of old age.
As the Alzheimer’s Association reports, it does not only affect the elderly. “Approximately 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 have younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease (also known as early-onset Alzheimer’s).”
Alzheimer’s gets progressively worse over time. In the beginning, Alzheimer’s causes minor memory loss. As the disease develops over time, individuals experience disorientation and lose their ability to have a conversation. On average Alzheimer’s sufferers live between four to eight years following diagnosis. However, “they can live as long as 20 years depending on other factors.”
Why is there a lack of success with viable treatments?
The following are three hurdles in the way of discovering effective solutions:
- Alzheimer’s complexity: Neurological symptoms of the disease can only be diagnosed at the stage where the brain damage is already irreparable. There is a lack of effective ways to identify its early emergence.
- A lack of suitable candidates for clinical trials: The ideal clinical trial involves a heterogeneous group. One section would receive an intervention. The other section would receive no intervention. Researchers then assess the effectiveness of the solution by seeing which of the two groups get sick. However, the conundrum is—why would a healthy person want to take part in this study?
- The challenge in identifying people at risk: Another “roadblock” to treatment is identifying people that are at risk. Even pinpointing Alzheimer’s initial biological symptoms, is near impossible.
Currently, there is no way for scientists to examine Alzheimer’s patients “for a long enough period needed to test memory-loss prevention drugs.”
As Katherine Ellen Foley writing for Quartz online magazine says “the disease is like a hydra for every question answered, two more appear.”
Fortunately, innovative treatments and technologies enable dementia and Alzheimer’s sufferers to maintain their independence.
Innovative solutions for Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients
- Travel back in time:
Scott Tarde is a Nursing Home Administrator with a wealth of experience in the long- term care industry. Tarde decided to create a more affordable and innovative alternative to the modern daycare center—Glenner Town Square.
Tarde applied ideas used in Reminiscence therapy, a theory developed by psychologist Ellen Langer in 1979. Reminiscence therapy uses old photographs, household items, and other memorabilia to trigger positive memories.
Glenner Town Square immerses the senses in the sights, smells, and visuals of an old-fashioned 1950s-1960s town. The site is 9,000 square feet and includes a department store with clothes, a hairdresser, and even a retro movie theatre, with real popcorn! Plain-clothes caregivers’ blend into the surroundings and are there to help.
The positives are many. Residents can maintain their independence in a safe environment. The retro-feel of the town helps keep residents calm and less dependent on drug treatments.
- GPS powered insole that fits snugly into any shoe
One of the first things that people with dementia and Alzheimer’s loose is their independence. They also tend to experience disorientation. Even locating their home address when they are a block away is a challenge. Thankfully, those at GTX Corp have designed an insole that fits into most shoes.
The insole has a well-sealed cell phone lodged within it. Like a smartphone, it automatically tracks the person’s location. The device uses cellular connectivity to send location updates to the companies monitoring system. The system then projects the data onto a map. Using data gathered on the map the system sends caregivers “geo-zone” alerts through a link on an email or text message.
Alzheimer’s: the search for effective solutions
The average life expectancy is growing. On the surface, this does not seem to be a bad thing. On the one hand, healthcare delivery and treatments continue to advance, on the other, there are too few solutions for Alzheimer’s sufferers. The incidences of this debilitating disease are showing no signs of slowing.
Pharmaceutical companies are making every effort to improve their understanding of this complex disease. As Katherine Ellen Foley states, Alzheimer’s is a hydra. As soon as you think you solved one of its puzzles, another two appear.
Despite the ominous dark clouds gathering over the horizon, there are rays of optimistic sunlight that burst on through. Innovative thinkers such as Nursing Home Administrator Scott Tarde use paradigms such as Reminiscence therapy to build new types of long-term care homes. Here residents have freedom and greater independence and live the best lives possible. Firms are creating wearable technology that enables people to continue to live in their homes. Innovations like these enable caregivers to monitor Alzheimer’s or dementia sufferers’ movements, while at the same time promoting their autonomy.
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