Make No Assumptions

At one time or another, everyone forgets where they left the car keys, blanks-out on a word or name, or cannot remember why they went to the kitchen. Is our forgetfulness simply the result preoccupation, a “senior moment,” or is it something much worse? 

It’s easy to leap to conclusions. It’s considerably more difficult to take the next step and talk to your family, a close friend, a religious or spiritual advisor, or your doctor about your deepest and darkest worries.

Your family and friends will probably say something non-committal and suggest that you make an appointment to see your doctor. A religious or spiritual advisor will probably have some comforting words and encourage you to speak with your doctor. Your doctor will recommend that you undergo a complete medical exam.

Your medical history comprises the first portion of your exam. Your doctor will ask if you smoke, drink, or have ever had a head injury or a concussion. He or she will want a list of the medications you take and the daily dosage. Your doctor will want to know your surgical history--dates, type and if you experienced complications. 

The doctor will also give you a check-list of various diseases and conditions that you or a close relative may have or have had. Some of these include: diabetes, psychiatric disorders, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, thyroid disease, epilepsy, strokes or heart disease. In other words – come to your appointment prepared with a list of the important information that most people do not remember in sufficient detail.

Next, your doctor will listen to your heart and lungs and then begin the usual prods and pokes. One aspect of your physical exam may be different from the ones you have experienced before. Because you are concerned about memory difficulties, your doctor may administer a series of simple tests to evaluate: your cognitive functions--the ability to think, learn, and remember as well as your executive functions--the ability to plan, organize, strategize, and pay attention to detail. Together the medical history and the physical exam provide the clues your doctor needs to take the most appropriate next steps.

Based on the results of your complete medical exam, your doctor may say “everything looks good.” However, don’t jump to conclusions if your doctor suggests that you undergo further tests. Just try to remember that ruling out Alzheimer Disease or any other of the dozen or so kinds of commonly encountered dementia is difficult. Yes, “it’s easier said than done.”

Janet Yagoda Shagam, PhD, is a freelance medical and science writer and the author of “An Unintended Journey: A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia.” Available through Amazon.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions, links, or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

It's Not Bad Luck

Believing it may bring bad luck, many people resist getting their legal and financial affairs in order for as long as possible. However, it’s not having taken care of these matters that will bring bad luck to you and your immediate family. And, as with all complicated family transactions, communication is the key to success (hopefully) without stress.

The power of attorney (POA) is a legal document where you designate a person - family member, friend, or another individual such as a lawyer, the right to act in your behalf. As is true for many legal procedures, the details vary from state to state. However, granting a POA to a designated individual involves a lawyer, a witness, and a notary.

While your doctor appreciates hearing your concerns, he cannot respond to comments or discuss a loved-one’s condition without having a copy of the health POA on file. This document assures the doctor, as well as other healthcare providers, that the named individual has the authorization to receive confidential information and to make medical decisions on your behalf.

A second POA document gives a designated person permission to sign checks, deposit or withdraw money from your bank accounts, or interact with businesses on your behalf. Similar to the medical POA, the banks and businesses must have a copy of the POA on file before there can be an exchange of information or documents. It is best to designate the same person on both POA documents.

Only people who are demonstrably competent to make well-founded decisions may sign POA papers. If this is not the case, a family member, may feel it is necessary to file a request with the courts to become your guardian and conservator – a lengthy, expensive, and emotionally exhausting process. People who have early-stage dementia usually have the capacity to make decisions and therefore are capable to sign power of attorney papers.

With regard to personal finances, it is important to develop a comprehensive plan that both conforms to applicable state and federal regulations as well as parallels the stipulations of your POA documents. The comprehensive plan makes it possible for a family, or another designated person, to manage your finances in the case of infirmity. Upon death, your designee has immediate access to your accounts and thereby makes it possible for him to pay bills as well as to meet other expenses.

A similar plan should be applied to the management of any stocks, bonds, and certificates of deposit you may have. Trusts and annuities are other areas for exploration as are life and long-term care insurance policies.

Most people do not have the time, inclination, or the skills to develop a comprehensive plan to protect their savings and other assets

You can accomplish some of these tasks, such as opening joint bank and checking accounts with the help of a bank associate. However, it’s imperative that you confer with the professionals who specialize in developing an individualized, comprehensive, and long term plan to create income should you become infirm as well as to supplement your social security or disability benefits. Other facets of your individualized financial plan include strategies to protect your assets, and eventually, your estate. Some of the professionals you may need to see include an estate lawyer, an accountant, a financial advisor, and an insurance underwriter.

Yes, it is true. Neglecting to care of these legal and financial matters long before needed guarantees a future of insurmountable difficulties for you and your loved-ones.

Source: Janet Yagoda Shagam, PhD, is a freelance medical and science writer and the author of “An Unintended Journey: A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia.” Available through Amazon.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions, links, or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

Don't Let Them Get to You

Modern life is filled with everyday nuisances that we all have to deal with. It might be someone cutting you off on the road, rude people in a store, or whatever the case may be. These nuisances that plague us on a daily basis, have the ability to influence our stress level.

This could manifest itself in many different ways; it could be anger it could be anxiety, fear, or worry. 

When it comes to stress, we’re adding elevations of certain hormones in our body that cause our body to work a certain way. Somebody cuts you off on the road, our blood pressure goes up, breathing changes and your emotions can change very rapidly. 

There are all these consequences and cascade of events that occur simply because somebody decided they wanted to get in front of you on a line or on the road. Some people can let that go pretty easily, but most people tend to get caught up in it. 

Of course, letting go of some of these things is easier said than done. It takes practice. There are countless stressors you can encounter on a daily basis that can get to you; be it a rude cashier, somebody cutting you off on the road or a boss that’s yelling at you. Any one of these things can increase your stress level, which can affect a wide range of systems in the body, especially those related to brain health.

Activities like meditation, exercise and other forms of stress management can help you deal with the feeling of stress, fear and worry that has gotten too far out of hand due to these accumulated stressors. This is especially helpful for anger that has gotten too far out of hand. Neurofeedback is another great tool that can help people become aware of their stress reactions and to help them gain control over them. 

There are many different tools and techniques to manage this immediate stress reaction. It takes practice and the first step is awareness.  Simply being aware of your reactions to potentially stressful situations is enough to get you started on finding the method that works best for you.

Contributor Author: Dr. Michael Trayford is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Founder of APEX Brain Centers in Asheville, NC. For more information, please visit www.ApexBrainCenters.com/memory.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions, links, or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

Get Out in the Sun

Effective brain training requires a holistic approach that includes cognitive, physical, metabolic, and lifestyle factors that are related to brain health.

Getting out in the sun has several factors that are important for brain health and brain function. Many people are aware that there is a relationship between sun exposure and vitamin D. 

There are five types of D vitamins. Each of them has a different role in the body. When your skin is exposed to sunlight, it produces a bioactive or readily available form of Vitamin D known as cholecalciferol.

Vitamin D doesn’t act like other vitamins. Some people say it shouldn’t be considered a vitamin because it acts as a pre-hormone. Vitamin D is used to synthesize many of the hormones that circulate through our bodies. If we don’t have adequate stores of vitamin D, we can’t form cholesterol appropriately, as well as other types of hormones that help the body and brain work efficiently.

It’s important to note, there are people in certain cultures that can’t absorb vitamin D very well, or can’t convert vitamin D into the appropriate source. There are also individuals that need to take vitamin D supplements.

There are also challenges for people that have had gallbladder removed. The gallbladder stores surplus bile created by the liver. One of the things this does is to help the body to digest fats. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin.

It’s critical to understand that if you’re having problems with vitamin D levels that there are things you can do about it. They are very easily measured. There are many different ways for you to get around that and it’s worthy of discussion with your health care provider as well as a healthcare provider that specializes in functional medicine. There are several different options such as pills, sublingual under the tongue, and topical forms of vitamin D supplements.

If you don’t have a medical condition influencing your vitamin D levels, then the best way to get the bioactive stores of vitamin D is to get out into the sun.

Now for those people that are living in climates that don’t get a lot of sun. However, it doesn’t take a long time 10, 15, or 20 minutes in direct sunlight can really help to boost vitamin D levels better than any pill ever could.

Be ever mindful of over exposure; always get an annual all-over skin exam by a dermatologist, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Contributor Author: Dr. Michael Trayford is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Founder of APEX Brain Centers in Asheville, NC. For more information, please visit www.ApexBrainCenters.com/memory.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions, links, or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

Perimeter Shopping

Perimeter shopping is a concept that more and more people are becoming aware of. During some of my lectures, I will ask people if they’ve heard of it. At first, I didn’t see a lot of acknowledgement, but now I see hands go up all over the place!

As the name implies, perimeter shopping is about going into the supermarket and you focus on buying foods from the outside aisles and cases. 

The outside aisles of a grocery store are filled with fresh produce, meats and dairy. Almost all grocery stores are set up this way because it allows it allows convenient access to refrigeration and it allows the grocery store employees to restock fresh goods quickly.

These products like meat, milk, fruits and vegetables, haven’t been changed much from their source. So we call them whole foods. The term perimeter shopping is defining where whole foods are most likely to be found at the supermarket. There are implications of some things not necessarily being as healthy as they could be, but by and large whole foods are nutrient dense.

Access to whole foods and how they are included in your lifestyle can vary depending on where you live. People living in inner cities or in small rural communities tend to have a small selection of whole foods to choose from. In some areas, access to fresh produce might be limited by the season, or how often the produce is rotated, based on decreased demand. People that grew up in these areas often have more processed foods in their diet. 

What makes this concept really important is that your brain is driven by energy. The brain essentially runs on sugar and oxygen. Sugar comes from the foods that we eat. 

Processed foods, which tend to be found on the interior of the supermarket, are made either by breaking down whole foods, or ingredients extracted from whole foods. Most of these products incorporate chemical processes or chemical preservatives to extend their shelf life. As a result, processed foods tend to have less nutrient density and lower quality sugars. These are foods that you usually find in a box, can or a bag. 

The further something is from the original source, or its original form, the harder it is for our body to break down and our brain to get adequate fuel from that food. 

The whole foods found at the perimeter of the supermarket are the most efficient, readily available sources of fuel for our brains. If we intend to train our brain with any degree of success, we need to make sure that we have the proper gas in the tank.

Contributor Author: Dr. Michael Trayford is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Founder of APEX Brain Centers in Asheville, NC. For more information, please visit www.ApexBrainCenters.com/memory.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions, links, or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

Having the Conversation

The doctor told me that, “Dementia is the cause for the changes we have all noticed.”

These are sobering words are ones that elicit conversation between loved-ones. The location could be an office where a counselor facilitates productive discussion. Or perhaps the best place is an informal one where coffee and cake creates an atmosphere of comfort and connectedness. 

It’s hard to know where to begin. Some find it easiest let the conversation gradually drift from the weather to the emotional and practical aspects of dementia. Others prefer having the help of counselor to guide productive exchange. 

People in the early stages of dementia may be the one who initiates discussion. He or she may start by addressing their fears of what they face as well as their distress of becoming a burden. He or she may have words to say about choosing the person who they hope will oversee their care as well as express the desire that dementia does not create ill-will between family members. 

His or her thoughts about end-of-life care are another important topic. Here listening maybe more important than discussion. Listen to what he or she has to say about advance directives, comfort (palliative) care and hospice--the last stage of palliative care. 

Conversation among-loved-ones will undoubtedly include more immediate wishes such as enjoying time together, taking bucket-list adventures, and the challenge of the “things I have always wanted to do” list. This is the time to create memories. 

Sometimes families and same-sex couple and their families do not have the luxury of beginning conversation with a diagnosis of early-stage dementia. When this is the case, your loved-one may still have the capability to listen and perhaps make comments. Be sure to acknowledge his or her presence and, as much as is possible, engage them in the discussion.

Speaking with and among loved-ones is an ongoing process. Events occur that require reassessment. Family dynamics may have deteriorated and should be addressed before they worsen. It may be time to talk about the conflicts between personal views about death and dying and your loved-one’s advance directives. Or perhaps reassessment involves orchestrating a family gathering or a final adventure.

Janet Yagoda Shagam, PhD, is a freelance medical and science writer and the author of “An Unintended Journey: A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia.” Available through Amazon.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions, links, or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

Knowledge is Power

To some people the phrase “knowledge is power” means learning the facts and talking to experts. Other people may feel the phrase describes mindfulness and self-determination. 

For the individuals and families for whom dementia has entered their life, both interpretations are important. Learning about such things as the different types of dementia, ways to slow progression and to overcome challenges, as well as navigating the spectrum of legal issues and quality-of-life wishes creates a sense of empowerment. This approach enables good decision-making as well as makes it easier to converse with physicians and other healthcare professionals. 

Internet research is a good place to start. Be sure to use key words that give you manageable number of hits. For example, the word “dementia” alone reveals 4.9 million results. Using a string of words such as “Lewy body, behavior, and medication” will improve the usefulness of your internet fact-finding efforts. 

Determining the reliability of internet information is another issue. Government resources, such as the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dementias/dementia.htm) are the location of high quality patient and family-centered information. University medical centers, such as the University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center are another source of dependable information. (http://memory.ucsf.edu/) Medline Plus, (National Library of Medicine) can direct you to additional high-quality sites. (https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/evaluatinghealthinformation.html) 

Internet searches, though certainly an important aspect of your fact-gathering journey, cannot replace conversation. So, be sure to include a telephone in your arsenal of fact-finding tools. The local Agency on Aging, the Dementia Society of America, as well as nearby hospitals, university medical schools and Veterans Health Administration hospitals are examples of organizations where you will find experts. Use their webpage to find the contact information to the people best able to help you.

The mindfulness and self-determination is another way to interpret “knowledge is power.” Here, rather than facts, the emphasis is on self-reflection. Self-reflection can be something as simple as setting aside a few quiet and quieting moments each day for contemplation. 

Acknowledge feelings such as anger, sadness, abandonment, and fear. Use your feelings both as an entryway to mindfulness as well as an incentive to discovering solutions to the challenges you face. Consider having a psychologist or a medical social worker guide you through this difficult period. 

Keeping a hand-written or word-processed diary is another tool. At the end of the day, perhaps just before going to bed, set aside a few moments to write. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling or creating the perfect sentence. Just write. Pour your heart out. Document the events made your day especially good or unbelievably horrible.

Be sure to review your diary writings from time-to-time. Doing so will help you see past mistakes, appreciate progress, or give important insight to best next-steps.

Janet Yagoda Shagam, PhD, is a freelance medical and science writer and the author of “An Unintended Journey: A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia.” Available through Amazon.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions, links, or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

Pause and take a Deep Breath

I cannot remember names or where I left the keys, people say I repeat myself and often seem confused. I must have dementia. It’s easy to leap to conclusions but considerably more difficult to speak to your doctor about your concerns. You fear stepping into your doctor’s office all but guarantees a diagnosis of dementia. However, a through medical exam may uncover other reasons, such as a bladder infection or medications that can explain why you are sometimes forgetful or confused.

Again, don’t jump to conclusions if your doctor suggests that you undergo further tests. Pause, take a deep breath, and tell yourself that ruling out dementia is not as easy as you may have assumed. At this point, your doctor may suggest that you get a second opinion from another physician or other kinds of healthcare professionals who specialize in diagnosing and treating memory disorders. And remember, you don’t need your doctor’s permission to seek advice from other clinicians. A good doctor will welcome your efforts. Without question, what you are doing for yourself is scary. No, it’s worse than scary. It’s deep-down frightening. 

Take a deep breath. You don’t have to do this alone. A family member or a good friend can give the emotional support you need and, with your permission, can accompany you to your doctor appointments. In addition to the comfort of his or her presence, your family member or friend can be another set of ears (or your note taker) as you, in all probability, will be overwhelmed by a deluge of information. 

Sometimes the news isn’t good. But before you occupy a permanent seat on the couch and wait for the inevitable, take a moment and take a deep breath. There are medications, as well as participation in activities such as dancing, yoga and tai chi, that can slow the progression of dementia. Keep in mind, there is a lot of good living ahead of you. Indulge, be active, do what gives you pleasure, and have good times with family and friends. Cherish the little things that enrich your life as well as the lives of others. This is a time to create memories. 

Janet Yagoda Shagam, PhD, is a freelance medical and science writer and the author of “An Unintended Journey: A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia.” Available on Amazon.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

The Chaos Theory

Organization is important for several different reasons. When you stop to think about it, the opposite of organization is chaos and chaos is synonymous with stress. When we look at the pillars of effective brain training, cognitive, physical, metabolic, and lifestyle factors, we see how stress relates directly to lifestyle factors. Many of these come with at least some level of personal control.

Organization is an important factor for managing stress and making sure your brain experiences as little unnecessary distraction as possible. If you’re living by the seat of your pants and organizing your day by countless post-it notes or digital notes, it can bog you down. Also, when you’re not accomplishing things it gives you a sense of fear and worry, because you’re not completely doing the things you feel you are supposed to be doing.

A lack of organization can be a significant challenge in your life. Simply crossing things off of your to-do list doesn’t mean that you are organized. To a certain degree, it might make more sense to sit down and write a 'to-not-do list'. Sometimes you can look at your current to-do list and find things that have been on there for months, if not years. If you’re not doing those things, then it probably means they are not all that important.

Getting control of your thoughts and energies by having a to-not-do list can actually be quite liberating. It can even start to eliminate some of the fear and worry that comes from not getting everything done.

There is a great deal of research that shows us how fear and worry are the two most damaging emotions to the human brain. They contribute to the production of significant amounts of stress hormones. These hormones circulate through the body and can actually cause damage to certain parts of the brain that allow us to learn. They can even damage connections that have been made in the brain. The more we do to eliminate those two emotions, the better off our brains will be.

Some people might find that taking 10 or 15 minutes on Sunday evenings, to organize their week, can be incredibly powerful. You don’t have to go into minute detail. Simply prioritizing and putting your top tasks for the week in order can take a great deal of stress out of the week ahead. It can also help you think better, sleep better and interact more efficiently with friends, family and coworkers.

Contributor Author: Dr. Michael Trayford is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Founder of APEX Brain Centers in Asheville, NC. For more information, please visit www.ApexBrainCenters.com/memory.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

Oxygen is the Secret

There are virtually hundreds of different breathing exercises with different purposes and outcomes. However, there is a simple, foundational breathing exercise that you can do each day to help your brain work better. This is particularly helpful for people that are not getting enough oxygen to their brain.

Decreased oxygen levels has a serious impact on the brain. When we breathe normally, we typically inhale and exhale at a 1 to 1 ratio; meaning, for every second we breathe in, we breathe out for a count of 1 (e.g. 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out). When this happens we’re not really holding the air in our lungs for a significant length of time. This means there isn’t sufficient transfer of air to oxygen in the lungs, which limits the amount of oxygen in our bloodstream available to the brain.

During this breathing exercise you breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. When doing this make sure you’re sitting comfortably, or you could even be lying on your back. Don’t slouch, as you won’t be able to take in the maximum volume of air. You want to be able to feel your abdomen rise and fall.

The rate of breathing for this exercise happens at a 1 to 2 ratio. When you inhale, that breath going in should take around 4 to 5 seconds. Don’t hold your breath. Tighten your lips a little bit as you breathe out, which will slow it down to take about twice as long, or 8 to 10 seconds. 

You could time this with a stop watch or do it roughly by keeping track in your own mind. The key is to make sure that you’re breathing out longer than you’re breathing in. This exercise can will increase oxygen levels in the blood stream within 30 seconds to a minute after beginning.

You can do this exercise throughout the course of the day. Each time try to do ten breaths. As you do this you will start to effectively train the brain to take in that breath, and retain it a little longer as you breathe out.  This improves oxygen levels far better than just breathing to breathe.

Breathing is something we need to do, so it’s something that we should do well. This is particularly important at certain times of the day when the brain might be lacking from an energy standpoint. This exercise can help raise your energy levels without having to resort to sugar, caffeine, or some other type of stimulant.

It’s important to reinforce that in this particular exercise you don’t actually hold your breath! In fact, there might be some instances where someone has a medical problem where holding their breath could cause them to pass out. This exercise is about breathing in and immediately out. As your breathing becomes more efficient you can begin to explore more advanced breathing techniques.

Contributor Author: Dr. Michael Trayford is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Founder of APEX Brain Centers in Asheville, NC. For more information, please visit www.ApexBrainCenters.com/memory.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

Timeout in the Bedroom

Eliminating technology from the bedroom is a very important topic we can talk at great length about. Suffice it to say, all of our gadgets and technology addictions are posing a significant threat to our brain and body health. The biggest reason we know of relates to the effects of artificial lights on our brains. This is particularly true for laptops, tablets and handheld devices. Research has found that LED lighting is suggestive to the brain. The blue light emitted by these types of devices simulates the light outdoors.

This means you could be on your tablet, in bed, at ten o’clock at night and the blue light is telling your brain that it’s light outside. The human sleep-wake cycle is based on our relationship to the natural light in our environment.

When we are artificially inducing daylight through use of these devices, particularly at night, the brain gets very confused. Hormones such as cortisol are produced and start to circulate through the blood stream causing a more alert state. This also causes the body to lack certain hormones (i.e. melatonin) that are naturally supposed to be present before sleeping.

Of course, this isn’t just about smart phones and tablets. This also extends to other electronic devices like televisions and stimulation from radios. All devices should be taken into consideration as it’s not just that blue light tricking the brain into thinking it’s light outside. Other types of stimulation disrupt sleep/wake cycles. Simple things like anticipating a text message, email, or phone call create a sense of anticipation that stimulates the brain, making it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.

At the same time, there is also a concern that EMF, or electromagnetic field, waves can have a negative impact on the brain.

All of these electronic devices need to be turned off and left in places outside of the bedroom; in the kitchen or wherever they will be used first thing the next morning. This is critically important training for children as all they know is technology and boundaries are becoming less clearly defined as time progresses.

The bottom line is that it’s just not good sleep hygiene to have these electronic devices in your bedroom.

Contributor Author: Dr. Michael Trayford is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Founder of APEX Brain Centers in Asheville, NC. For more information, please visit www.ApexBrainCenters.com/memory.

The opinions expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the opinions of the Dementia Society, Inc. We do not endorse nor guarantee products, comments, suggestions or other forms of content contained within blog posts- that have been provided to us with permission, or otherwise. Dementia Society does not provide medical advice, please consult your doctor. www.DementiaSociety.org

To The One I Love, I Will Not Miss You

To The One I Love, I Will Not Miss You

When you walk in the door, I will not know who you are.

The familiar features of your face, I will not know.

Your gentle hand upon my brow, will be awkward.

Your voice will be strange, but only to my ears.

Please try and console my fears.

As soon as your gentle touch reaches my heart, my heart will know who you are.

Because only my thoughts are confused, my heart is and always will be true to you.

Dementia is only in my thoughts, it cannot touch the memories in my heart.

Please show me the pictures of our life together.

Help control the fears that are only in my thoughts.

My thoughts will not miss you, my heart will cry in pain.

Help me now with love, pictures and recordings of us.

For soon Dementia will be my only master.

And I will not miss you.

- © 2015 Jeff Morden. Reproduced by the Dementia Society of America with permission of the author.

Get to Know Dementia

"KNOW DEMENTIA!

Obviously a play on words that we coined, to help folks quickly understand that there's more to know about Dementia, than most people think they know.

It's like anything else, if you scratch just below the surface of any subject, you begin to understand that there's a whole world of knowledge just waiting to wade through.

This blog (short for weblog. see you learned something already) will be attended to like a year-round garden: figure out what veggies you want and when you want them; create some space for planting, a great deal of on-going nourishment; a basket full of tender love and care; and behold, after awhile, there are fruits to thy labors.

We will attempt to share some of our knowledge and experiences in life caring for, and about, those with Dementia. As comedian George Carlin said, "brain droppings." Plus there'll be some bits and pieces of wisdom we've harvested from all of those that have gone before us down this rocky, but awesomely challenging path. #dementia #alzheimers #caregiving #dementiasociety

Welcome...

Kevin
President & Founder
Chairman of the Board
Dementia Society of America