Smoking And Weight Tied To Future Brain Shrinkage, Increased Long Term Care Insurance Need

Smoking, having high blood pressure or diabetes and being overweight during your middle years may cause brain shrinkage and lead to cognitive problems up to a decade later.

According to a new study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology these factors appear to cause the brain to lose volume.  Some 38.7 million Americans age 65 and older reported having one or more cognitive disorders according to the 2011 Long-Term Care Insurance Almanac published by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.

Health conditions increased the development of lesions secondary to presumed vascular injury, and also appeared to affect its ability to plan and make decisions as quickly as 10 years later.  The findings provide evidence that identifying these risk factors early in people of middle age could be useful in screening people for at-risk dementia and encouraging people to make changes to their lifestyle before it's too late.

The study involved over 1,300 people without dementia with an average age of 54.  Participants had body mass and waist circumference measures taken and were given blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes tests. They also underwent brain MRI scans over the span of a decade, the first starting about seven years after the initial risk factor exam. Participants with stroke and dementia at baseline were excluded, and between the first and last MRI exams, 19 people had a stroke and two developed dementia.

Researchers found that people with high blood pressure developed small areas of vascular brain damage, at a faster rate than those with normal blood pressure readings.  They also had a more rapid worsening of scores on tests of executive function, or planning and decision making, corresponding to five and eight years of chronological aging respectively.

People with diabetes in middle age lost brain volume in the hippocampus at a faster rate than those without diabetes. Smokers lost brain volume overall at a faster rate than nonsmokers and were also more likely to have a rapid increase in white matter hyperintensities.

"Unhealthy habits come back to haunt millions at older ages," explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the long term care insurance association.  "It creates an increased risk of needing long term care in your 80s and 90s a reason why planning prior to retirement is a must especially for those still in good health."

Discovery Could Treat Obesity-Related Diabetes And Heart Disease

Researchers have found a new cellular pathway that could help in developing therapeutic treatments for obesity-related disorders, like diabetes and heart disease.

The medical scientists found that action by the enzyme histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) could be targets for potential treatment options in obesity-related diseases.

Researchers were really interested in the tie between increased HDAC9 levels in fat tissue of mice and the caloric overload.  Fat tissues from these obese mice showed dysfunction, with increased expression of pro-inflammatory agents and decreased expression of hormones responsible for maintaining whole body lipid and glucose stability.

HDAC9 level in fat cells is the underlying molecular culprit for dysfunctional fat tissue during obesity.

The researchers are currently examining HDAC9 knockout mice subjected to chronic high-fat feeding and think that HDAC9 gene removal will protect mice from obesity-linked adipose tissue dysfunction and associated metabolic disorders.

The team is pursuing studies to understand how diet regulates HDAC9 levels in fat tissue and how HDAC9 up-regulation can be prevented during diet-induced obesity through pharmacological means.  Their findings may help lead researchers to targeted therapies that may prevent the development of obesity-related disorders in humans reports the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance which tracks scientific research impacting the long-term health of Americans.

Scientists Find Speak Two Languages To Delay Alzheimer's Onset

Speaking two languages can help delay the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms by as much as five years.

The study conducted by Canadian scientists found more dramatic evidence that those who have spoken two or more languages consistently over many years experienced a delay in the onset of their symptoms by as much as five years.

"We are not claiming that bilingualism in any way prevents Alzheimer's or other dementias, but it may contribute to cognitive reserve in the brain which appears to delay the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms for quite some time," said Dr. Craik, lead investigator and co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of Memory.

The brains of people who speak two languages still show deterioration from Alzheimer's pathology; however, their special ability with two languages seems to equip them with compensatory skills to hold back the tell-tale symptoms of Alzheimer's, such as memory loss, confusion, and difficulties with problem-solving and planning.

Observations were made on patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's from 2007 to 2009. The patients' date of diagnosis and age of onset of cognitive impairment were recorded along with information on occupational history, education and language history (i.e. fluency in English and any other languages).

The researchers found that bilingual patients had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's 4.3 years later and had reported the onset of symptoms five years later than the monolingual patients. The groups were equivalent on measures of cognitive and occupational level, there was no apparent effect of immigration status, and there were no gender differences.

According to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, the current study adds to mounting scientific evidence that lifestyle factors - such as regular cardiovascular exercise, a healthy diet, and speaking more than one language - can play a central role in how the brain copes with age-related cognitive decline and diseases such as Alzheimer's.

The study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Alzheimer's Society of Canada.

Home Health Benefits Face Likely Medicare Cut

Medicare Home Health Benefits Likely Cut

Home health care providers face likely Medicare payment cuts next year according to experts.

According to a report published today, two companies, Gentiva Health Services and Amedisys are among the providers of at-home health care to receive lower Medicare payments next year under U.S. government changes to the program.

A 4.89 percent reduction in home health spending for the elderly is among annual modifications in Medicare affecting hospitals, doctors and providers in the United States. Most rates take effect in January, though payments for doctors start to drop Dec. 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said in a statement this week.

"Cuts are consistent with a need to reduce expenditures at the Federal level," explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  "The recent election showed that the populace doesn't want the government borrowing and spending money it doesn't have.  It's very likely more cuts will be coming."

A panel that advised Congress on Medicare issues found in 2008 that home health agencies were making 17 percent profits on their Medicare business.

"If you are in your 50s and counting on Medicare to look the same when you qualify for benefits, you are likely to be surprised," concludes Slome. 

Women Heavily Burdened by Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease will place an increasing burden on women according to new reports.

November is Long-Term Care Awareness Month and even the U.S. Congress has urged "the people of the United States to recognize (this) as an opportunity to learn more about the potential risks and costs … and the options available."   Alzheimer's is a leading cause of need for long-term care.

Over 10 million American females either have Alzheimer's disease (AD) or look after a patient with the disease, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. 

Two thirds (65%) of all Alzheimer's patients are female (3 million in America) and 6.7 million women care for somebody with the disease, says The Shriver Report, a collaboration between California's First Lady Mary Shriver and The Alzheimer's Association.

By the year 2050 approximately 8 million women will have AD in the US.

Here are some of the highlights of the report:

·         Over 10 million American females either have AD or look after a patient with the disease

·         65% of Alzheimer's patients are female

·         60% of caregivers of Alzheimer's patients are female

·         40% of caregivers who are female say they have no choice

·         One third of all female caregivers are caring for somebody with AD around the clock, seven days a week

·         The impact of AD on business, families and government is estimated to be $300 billion annually

·         Nearly two-thirds of caregivers who also have a job say they have no choice but to get to work late, clock off early and sometimes take time off to care for somebody with AD.

Despite hundreds of clinical trials and millions spent on research, Alzheimer's disease is still incurable. Researchers and experts continue to hope, and say we are making progress. Even so, there is a feeling among most Americans that scientific progress is too slow. When compared to innovative breakthroughs that have occurred in diabetes, stroke, cancer and heart disease, Americans rank Alzheimer's at the bottom of the list.

Free Guide Offers Tips On Living With Dementia

A free informational guide Living with Dementia is available for free download from Homewatch CareGivers.

According to  the World Alzheimer's Report and the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) reports, over 35 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Without a significant medical breakthrough related to dementia care that number could double every 20 years, and by 2050 could affect over 115 million people, explains Jesse Slome, executive director of AALTCI.

"Based on our 30 years of caregiving experience we know that when someone receives a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or dementia that it suddenly involves more than just the patient," said Leann Reynolds, president of Homewatch CareGivers. The Guide to Dementia was prepared to arm families and caregivers with free information and resources, which might not otherwise be provided, that can educate them and provide a roadmap for the difficult journey they face.

The guide covers the following:

- Definitions of dementia and what those definitions mean both clinically and personally
- In-depth tips for communicating with loved ones experiencing dementia
- Communication issues to watch out for as the symptoms of dementia progress
- In-depth tips for helping family members with dementia around the house
- Practical tips for understanding and dealing with behavior issues related to dementia
- Self-help and wellness tips for family caregivers

"Our goal is to support families by providing information and resources," Reynolds added. "We want this guide to be one of the resources that helps family members and caregivers deal with the numerous issues that arise from living with dementia."