Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. It slowly kills brain cells and is the fifth-leading cause of death for Americans age 65 and older. But contrary to popular belief, steps can be taken to slow it down.
Healthcare providers and researchers rely on screening questions to detect patients who may be at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease and other aging-related problems, but how these questions are worded may be confusing or trigger emotional responses. According to Penn State researchers, this may result in patients who answer the same questions differently, and for different reasons.
As people age, they may rely on a type of memory — called schematic memory — that helps them remember the gist of an event, or situation, but not the details. Relying on this type of memory may lead to the creation of more false memories, which could create confusion.
Lesley Ross, associate professor of human development and family studies, and colleagues found that a particular kind of computerized cognitive training program reduced the risk of dementia among older adults across a ten-year period.
A recent research review on symptoms of dementia found that there may be gaps in what we know about how a patient's caregiver and environment can affect their symptoms. The review is a pre-summit activity for the National Research Summit on Dementia Care on Oct. 16-17, and will help inform the direction of future dementia research.
An expert in dysphagia, or swallowing disorders, is now a member of the faculty in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Penn State.
The rate of death from Alzheimer’s disease in the United States increased by more than 50 percent in the past 15 years, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here are some possible reasons why — and where things stand with treatment.
Researchers in the Penn State College of Nursing are testing an intervention that involves family members in the recovery process for individuals with dementia, following their short-term hospitalization for acute medical conditions.
On Giving Tuesday, staff members from the Penn State Office of the Vice Provost for Information Technology donated 50 iPods to the Wellspring Memory Care Program at Juniper Village at Brookline — a senior living community in State College for those with memory and cognitive disabilities — to be used in their Music and Memory program.
Katherine Judge, associate professor of psychology and director of the adult development and aging doctoral program at Cleveland State University, will discuss one of the latest advancements in dementia care when the Colloquium Series in Psychological Sciences and Human Behavior returns to Penn State Behrend on Sept. 15.
Marietta Scanlon, lecturer in engineering at Penn State Berks and formerly Penn State Lehigh Valley, received one of Lehigh Valley’s first LaunchBox grants for her team’s software program Voices Renewed, which enhances the life story collection process for individuals with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
During rehabilitation following an acute hospital stay, medications that block neurotransmitters may be overprescribed to older patients suffering from delirium superimposed on dementia, according to health researchers.
Nursing home residents with dementia are less likely to be apathetic if they live in an appropriately stimulating environment, according to nursing researchers.
A facilitator of new support groups for people with dementia and their caregivers is seeking potential participants from State College and surrounding areas as well as a co-facilitator for the caregiver support group.
A more intellectually demanding job may be the key to living longer after developing young-onset dementia, according to health researchers.
