We all, at some point, must face death; and often times, the precedents that occur before death.  Death often takes us by surprise, but just as often will loom over us after diagnosed with a terminal illness.  There are countless illnesses out there, but one illness that is in a category of its own is Alzheimer’s disease.  It often sneaks up on us and can run its course anywhere from just a couple of years to sometimes up to twenty years. 

Alzheimer’s disease occurs in about one out of ten people age 65 and older, and almost one of two people age 85 and older.  Unfortunately, the disease currently has no cure.  However, treatment is available and can help prolong the progression of the disease to give the inflicted person a higher quality of life, especially in the beginning stage of the disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative disease that begins in the short-term memory center of the brain and will eventually progress to affect all areas of the brain.  The person with Alzheimer’s will lose memory of what they had for breakfast that day, what they did yesterday or last week, and eventually will lose memory of people in their lives beginning with those introduced most recently such as grandchildren. 

Life does not wait for us.  In fact, we often wonder if someone has hit the fast forward button.  Do not wait to do the things you have always wanted to do; and as is the advice we so often hear, do not take life’s precious gifts for granted.  It is important for everyone to have ideas or goals of what they want out of life; a bucket list.
 
A bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you die, and comes from the phrase “kicked the bucket”.  Personal bucket lists guide us in achieving our life goals, fulfilling our dreams, and experiencing those life-experiences we each desire.  Although it doesn’t give us an escape route from death or disease, it helps us take advantage of every breathing moment and live life to its fullest. 

Most of us live life as a routine, doing the same activities every day, over and over.   We send our kids off to school, spend the day at the office, check off our grocery lists, make dinner, walk the dog, and if we’re lucky, might even have time for an evening movie rental.  Sound familiar?  We tend to get caught up in our daily activities and responsibilities and often forget to live.  Many of our activities become “task-oriented” and may not have any valuable meaning to us if we were to die today. 

So, if you were to die tomorrow, what would you want to do today?  Creating a bucket list is easy to do and will help you focus on what you want out of life.  Start by writing down categories such as travel, new skills, family, career, experiences, etc.  Then expound on each category, writing down actual places you want to visit, new skills you want to learn, accomplishments you wish to make in your career, etc.  You might also ask yourself some of the following questions to help get you thinking:

“What do I want to learn more about?”
“What things would I like to do for my family?”
“Where have I always wanted to go?”
“What would I like to experience?”
“What would I want to do if money was no option?”
“What loose ends would I like to tie up?”
“Is there anything you want to say to anyone?”

And on a lighter note,

“What movies would I like to see?”
“What foods would I like to try?”

Making a bucket list is ongoing.  You can always add new goals or change old ones.  It is yours to call your own.  Overall, it reminds us to live our dreams. 

Life might be good today, but each moment may bring us something that could change our lives forever. Breathe in the air.  Feel the warm sun on your face.  Take in the beauties that surround us.  Live.

What’s on your bucket list?
 

Are you or a loved one having more and more difficulty with everyday activities such as showering, dressing, getting around the house or running errands? An assisted living community may be right for you. You can get the daily support you need, while remaining as independent as possible.  An assisted living community may be a good choice if you need more personal care services than you can get at home or an independent living retirement community, but don’t need the round-the-clock medical care and supervision of a skilled nursing home.  Assisted living communities offer the safety and security of 24-hour support and access to care. Day or night, help is only a call away. Making the decision to leave your home for an assisted living community can be difficult, even if you’re looking forward to the extra help, services, security, and social perks that it brings.

• Determine what you can afford
Many seniors who need help with their activities of daily living (personal hygiene, meals, medication management, etc) will never have to go to nursing homes if they can afford assisted living. Medicare does not pay for assisted living (in Illinois), but some Long Term Care Insurances will. Typically all expenses are paid out-of-pocket by residents and/or their families.
• Select a general location
Once you've determined how much you or your loved one can afford to pay for assisted living, select the city or region where the home should be.  Both the potential resident and family should be included in the selection process, if possible. The goal of assisted living is to allow the resident to retain as much independence as circumstances permit.
• Determine needs
When you compare assisted living communities, some factors matter more than others. No perfect home exists. Finding one that meets your needs is Goal Number 1. When you tour a community and interview its staff, be thorough in offering as much information as possible to address the needs of the client. 
• Go
 Make an appointment for a tour.  Ask to see more than public areas.  Visit several residents’ rooms.  Ask if both you and your loved one can join the residents for lunch or dinner and,  if possible, stroll through the community on your own.  Talk to the residents and observe staff interaction.  Be sure to learn what the monthly fee includes and if there are any additional add-on's as needs may increase. Also ask about any "community fee" sometimes required at move-in.
• Reach for Support
 Reach out for help from family and friends and look into a support group. Move-in day is often filled with mixed emotions. Both the family and resident may experience excitement with the decorating and settling in process but also may experience feelings of anxiety and loss. Moving is seldom easy and acceptance of the move, as well as actually settling into a routine, may  take  weeks or longer for some people.

  Although the process may sound overwhelming, it has been proven that those who make a decision for assisted living sooner than later often enjoy a longer quality of life because so much of the "what happens if.....?" worry has been removed.

Have you started planning and researching alternative living arrangements for a family member? What has been your experience so far?

   I’m sure you’ve heard before that we should eat fish on a regular basis.  Besides being an excellent source of protein, fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are considered essential for human health. However, the body cannot make them -- you have to get them through food. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, tuna, and halibut.   Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development. They have shown to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and the oils actually increase the production of a certain protein that typically is found at reduced levels in the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease.  This protein is known to destroy the formation of “plaques” associated with Alzheimer’s disease.  Omega-3 fish oils have also become popular because they may reduce the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least 2 times a week.
Research has also shown that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings/depression and poor circulation.
So with the arrival of Lenten Season, whether or not you practice Catholicism, take advantage of the many fish specials found in super markets and restaurants as well as the countless fish fries (don't forget to practice moderation when eating fried food).  Get healthy and get fish on the brain!
 

Do you have any great fish recipes that you would like to share?  Sycamore Village is collecting brain healthy recipes to create a resident/family/staff cookbook.  Please leave comments and/or recipes by March 31st.  We look forward to trying them all out.

Indulge Without the Guilt

Whether you are cozying up to your significant other or having a date with your favorite television show, indulge in chocolates and a glass of wine this Valentine’s Day without the guilt!  Yes, chocolate and red wine, in moderation, can be good for you.

     Research has shown that cocoa contains flavonoids which increase blood flow to the brain and may even help protect against dementia.  Chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa offers the most benefits. However, chocolate is high in saturated fats, so it is a good idea to only treat yourself to chocolate once a week. Now, if you are looking for something to wash that chocolate down with, try a glass of red wine.  Chefs and culinary enthusiasts know that chocolate and red wine are a match made in heaven and not just because of their tastes.  We often hear that drinking red wine is good for your heart, but research is showing that it also provides benefits to the brain.  Red wine contains the powerful antioxidant, resveratrol, which may prevent free radicals from damaging brain cells and block the formation of plaque in the brain which may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Resveratrol has drawn a lot of interest from researchers.  Another recent study shows that the compound may slow the development of protein clumps in the brain called amyloid fibrils.  These amyloid fibrils are what aggregate into plaques commonly found in Alzheimer’s disease.

     Now, again, moderation is key.  Up to two glasses for women, and three glasses for men per week is the recommended amount of consumption.  A recent study showed that moderate red wine consumption was associated with better brain function and performance on all cognitive tests in both men and women participating in the study.  Although the study was conducted in a laboratory and not in live animals or people, researchers tested resveratrol’s effects on fibrils.  They combined it with a type of amyloid protein and looked for aggregation.  Results showed that the higher the amount of resveratrol, the lower the amount of aggregation.  Resveratrol had reduced the amount of aggregation by as much as 90 percent!

     Of course, much research is yet to be done for Alzheimer’s disease, but rest easy the next time you sip a glass of wine and eat your troubles away with a piece of chocolate.  In a world of bad news, it’s nice to know that what was once looked at as a guilty pleasure, might now help stave off Alzheimer’s disease.   So when you and your sweetheart sit down to dinner this Valentine’s Day, what other things, besides good health, will you toast your glasses to?

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