Life Expectancy in Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

Prevent or delay AD by mental exercises such as puzzles and crosswords? That’s a joke – and highly insulting to those of us caregivers dealing with AD every day.

Beth –

I am sorry that you felt insulted by my post. I have a profound respect for all caregivers for all illnesses (and have personal experience in that as well). Far from being a joke, there is solid research (see the Nun Study by Snowden) that engaging in mental fitness activities can delay or prevent certain types of dementia as well as the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (not always, but sometimes).

My job is to report on things that people can do that increases their chances of successful aging. I’m sorry for you upset and wish you and your loved ones well.

Research may show that engaging in mental fitness activities can delay dementia. But my mother did the New York Times crossword puzzle and played bridge even after diagnosis with Alzheimer’s, and she nonetheless has deteriorated at a very, very startling pace.

with my mother-in-law, even TRYING to get her interested in anything, let alone puzzles or things she used to do besides folding towels or setting the table is an effort in futility. she isn’t interested nor is she capable. she’s was diagnosed with dementia about two years ago.

I agree with the above statements. My mother has dimentia and it’s nearly impossible to get her interested in anything mentaly challenging. Each day she has good and bad periods but a general retreat from the world is where she seems to be most comfortable. Pushing her into things is nearly impossible. She tries to engage the world and she does ok, but there is no way to get her to try and think to much because the confusion comes fast and she is very scared of the confusion. I can only guess what she is going through with the confusion and short-term memory loss… In any case, I think some things may help for a day or a few hours and bring out the good episodes for a few hours or a day, but the overal progression of the disease has it’s own agenda. I’ll do my best to keep her engaged in life and challenged, but it takes so much effort… I never understood any of this until my mother got this and I had to take part in the caregiving… Hang in there everyone reading this…do your best and do your duty…I’m with you now…with the strain and tears and deep tenderness when possible… Hang in there!

I visited this site to get some info on dementia. My aunt has just been diagnosed with it and she is 93. I believe she may have been suffering from it prior to her diagnosis, but was wondering what to expect at her advanced age. She seems to be deteriorating at a rapid pace.

Ray – So sorry to hear about your mother. For more comprehensive information, I recommend my sister site at About.com on Alzheimer’s disease:

http://alzheimers.about.com/

Spend some time searching around there to find some more answers.

Best,

Mark

I think most are missing the point of the mental exercising – it needs to start early in life and done regularly. That doesn’t mean that Alzheimers won’t still happen – it means there is a strong possibility it will slow it down. My 76 year old father is at stage 6 out of 7 and never read anything he didn’t have to. He was in law enforcement until retirement and loved to tinker on anything electrical or mechanical. Now we can’t get him interested in anything except bad-mouthing my mother (who has the patience of a saint!)when she leaves the room.

doing puzzles and stuff seems to assume dementia afflicts a moving muscle. if parts of the brain are wasting away, no amount of mental activity will make any difference. when short term memory goes it’s gone – forever.

My mother was recently diagnosed with dementia. She started losing her short term memory probably around 3 years prior to her diagnosis. It is a struggle for her daily to remember very recent happenings. She lives alone and still does her own laundry, just recently stopped mowing her own yard. She still dresses herself takes her aricept daily on her own. She is on a schedule.We have a very small family but a very helpful and loving family. We keep her very active all the time. We can only enjoy the time we have left with her. I personally feel there is no slowing this down.You can only be there for your parent and try to give them back a little of what they have given us all our lives. My mother has become quite the hurmorous woman and really enjoys life. She loves to make jokes and is very fiesty witty. Its a joy to be around her. On the other side of it. We can only imagine how scared and confused she is all the time. But God willing she will always be as healthy as she is. My mother was never sick a day in her life and still is in the best of shape and health. She walks around the park several times a week. So, staying active is very important! Don’t ever give up on your loved ones with this horrific disease. Try to be patient with them and try to put yourself in their minds. Think of the struggle and the confusion. I’m so honored to have a mother like I do. It’s our turn now to give back what she so kindly gave us. I suppose all im trying to say is, just love them while you still have them on earth. Smile when she smiles, cry when she crys. Keep things on the lighter side, dont bring up bad issues and keep her safe! I hope this has helped others. It sure helped me to write it..Thank you, Sandy..the daughter of Shirley..her stories from the far past are just wonderful to hear!

Sandy, be very gratefule for your mothers condition. Yesterday, I had to put my mother in a nursing home that she will only be able to afford for a short period of time. Her income is slightly higher than will qualify her for medicaid. She is mean, angry, bitter and miserable. She still believes she can do everything on her own. All of her caregivers are at their wits end and no one can spend much time with her and leave with her sanity in tacked. All of her major organs are working well. She may live a long time in this horrible condition. We can only pray the lord will take her and give her some peace.

I am so sad about my mother. She is in a nursing home and deteorating. She needs around the clock care. She is not eating and has loss interest for life. She sleeps more than she is awake. I have decided this evening after my visit with her that I need to spend every moment possible by her side. I feel for all of those who are sharing this same pain watching their loved ones suffer.

I’m lucky my mom is in good spirits and still feisty. I believe she has lewy symptoms. Her halucinations are getting worse. She gets mad when I don’t see them too. I pat her leg to ground her and change the topic of conversation and that helps. Sure is a wild ride as a caregiver.