What do Alzheimer's disease and teeth have in common?

We know what causes TOOTH 😬 problems right?

PLAQUE.

And Alzheimers’s disease? 🧠 (the most common dementia)

That’s plaque too.

Plaque and tangles.

*NOTE… different forms of dementia have different causes (Vascular dementia is caused by reduced flow of blood to the brain)

So today…

A minute ⏰ talking about how Alzheimer’s affects the brain, what actually happens…

In the brain of someone living with Alzheimer’s, there are 2 different proteins that build up called amyloid and tau.

There is a build up of amyloid which is a plaque. This plaque builds up around brain 🧠cells.

The protein tau forms tangles inside the brain cells.

Researches 👩‍⚕️ still don’t fully understand themselves how these plaques and tangles cause the loss of brain cells. But there is a decrease is the brain’s chemical messengers that sends signals between brain cells.

I’ve had lots of people asking if they can share the videos and posts… Do share - click on my name, view my profile and you’ll be able to share…

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Recap of the key messages from the previous posts & videos:

Dementia is not just about losing your memory (it effects other functions too… )

Dementia DOESN’T affect the part of the brain (amygdala) that controls EMOTIONS and FEELINGS as much as factual information.

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Christopher “Picks Star Carers” Downie

P.S. Whenever you’re ready... here are 5 ways I can help improve the wellbeing of your elderly parents/spouse:
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1. Grab a free copy of my e-book; 3 quick tips to beat falls and confusion. It’s a road map to wellbeing - a 20 second read... We asked the GP on our team; Malcolm for his 3 top tips. — Click Here (https://www.carechooser.com#homecare-falls) Look for the gold banner.

2. Join CareChooser’s Facebook page and connect with us. It’s our new Facebook community where you can follow and learn from us. — Click Here (https://www.facebook.com/CareChooser)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3. If you’d like us to improve the wellbeing of your parents/spouse and have us find you a consistent carer send me a message at bit.ly/christopherdownie with the words “Carer”. Tell me a little about your parents/spouse, we’ll check availability in your area, send profiles and arrange a meeting.

4. Join us and be a Case Study I’m putting together a new case study at CareChooser... stay tuned for details. If you’d like to work with me on improving the wellbeing of your parents/spouse and learn the secrets to getting the most from a carer... just send me a message atbit.ly/christopherdownie with the words “Case Study”.

5. Work with me and my team privately.
If you’d like to work directly with me and my team to take you from stressed to wellbeing and have us find a bespoke carer matched uniquely for your family just send me a message at bit.ly/christopherdownie with the word “Private”... tell me a little about your parents/spouse and what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details!

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We are a dementia friendly organisation and we deliver the Alzheimer's Society's free 45 minute-1hour long Dementia Friends information session. This session takes a very positive view of dealing with dementia. One of it's key 5 messages is that it is possible to live well with dementia. We also strongly align to one of the key elements of the campaign to change the way people talk about dementia and changing from the use of the term 'dementia sufferer' to 'person living with dementia'. We regularly deliver the free Dementia Friends session and can also deliver it 1:1 to family members or to whole family groups. 

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

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Hippocampus & Amygdala...

A quick... short post about the hippocampus and the amygdala (parts of the brain).

The hippocampus controls dates, names and facts.

It's easily affected by dementia.

But... the amygdala  controls emotions and feelings and is far more resistant to dementia. 💪

Heard from SO MANY people this week since my posts and videos last week who have seen this with their family members.

A loss of factual information but not of feelings.

If you know someone who may need a carer let them know about me and about CareChooser

Christopher “Picks Star Carers” Downie

P.S. Whenever you’re ready... here are 5 ways I can help improve the wellbeing of your elderly parents/spouse:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1. Grab a free copy of my e-book; 3 quick tips to beat falls and confusion. It’s a road map to wellbeing - a 20 second read... We asked the GP on our team; Malcolm for his 3 top tips. — Click Here (https://www.carechooser.com#homecare-falls) Look for the gold banner.

2. Join CareChooser’s Facebook page and connect with us. It’s our new Facebook community where you can follow and learn from us. — Click Here (https://www.facebook.com/CareChooser)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3. If you’d like us to improve the wellbeing of your parents/spouse and have us find you a consistent carer send me a message on WhatsApp at bit.ly/carechooser-WA with the words “Carer”. Tell me a little about your parents/spouse, we’ll check availability in your area, send profiles and arrange a meeting. 

4. Join us and be a Case Study I’m putting together a new case study at CareChooser... stay tuned for details. If you’d like to work with me on improving the wellbeing of your parents/spouse and learn the secrets to getting the most from a carer... just send me a message on WhatsApp at bit.ly/carechooser-WA with the words “Case Study”.

5. Work with me and my team privately.
If you’d like to work directly with me and my team to take you from stressed to wellbeing and have us find a bespoke carer matched uniquely for your family just send me a message on WhatsApp at bit.ly/carechooser-WA with the word “Private”... tell me a little about your parents/spouse and what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details!

Our carers provide you with specialised dementia care at home. Your loved ones will be looked after by carers with experience working and supporting people living with dementia and know how to adapt to the condition's changing nature.

Contact us on 0208 886 0686 if we can help in anyway. 

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We are a dementia friendly organisation and we deliver the Alzheimer's Society's free 45 minute-1hour long Dementia Friends information session. This session takes a very positive view of dealing with dementia. One of it's key 5 messages is that it is possible to live well with dementia. We also strongly align to one of the key elements of the campaign to change the way people talk about dementia and changing from the use of the term 'dementia sufferer' to 'person living with dementia'. We regularly deliver the free Dementia Friends session and can also deliver it 1:1 to family members or to whole family groups. 

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Did you know this about dementia?

Imagine the brain as bookshelves… 📔📕📗

Now fast forward 44 years, I am 80 years old (today!!) How does dementia effect me? 

There is a full bookcase, each book represents a memory or a fact. 

My top shelf holds very recent books or memories, such as what I had for breakfast this morning, how much food I gave the chickens… 

By my shoulders are my 60s, such as my retirement party. 🎉

By my knees are books from my 20s & by my feet books holding memories from childhood; school memories. 

Dementia rocks the bookcase from side to side. 

What will happen to the books? 

They will fall off. Starting from where? The top. 

As dementia progresses, my upper shelves will empty, so what I think as my most recent memories will come from further down my bookcase - earlier in my life. 

If only books and memories that are still firm are from a lower shelf, when I was in my 20s I may think I’m living in the 1950s. This could cause some problems. I may put the electric kettle on the hob. 

You my family member and friends may get me a hob kettle to help and support me.

Hearing this… 👆 you may think a person with dementia loses everything. 

But…

I’ve only shared 1 part of the brain. The factual bookcase, (the hippocampus part of the brain) which holds facts, names, faces, numbers, dates.

This bookcase is flimsy, bought from Ikea and poorly constructed… (must do better next time!) 

There is another part of the brain - picture as a separate bookcase, the emotional bookcase (The amygdala part of the brain).

This manages my emotions and feelings. 

But… 

This bookcase is rock solid and made of oak and so It’s more resistant to dementia and its contents will be safer for longer. 

For every book on the factual bookcase there is a corresponding book on my emotional bookcase. A school book or memory in the factual part of the brain & in the emotional part; a feeling, perhaps of being inspired by a teacher. 

You come to visit me & we have a row because I forgot your name. I may feel angry and upset, you think it doesn’t matter because I will forget about it.

Your right, I may forget the argument but the feelings of anger and sadness will stay. 

A different day, we go to the beach 🏖and have ice cream. 

Later, I forget the ice cream 🍦and may even forget the whole day out. You may think that the trip wasn’t worth while but what stays with me? 

The happy emotions and feelings. The happiness of the trip, the excitement & contentment of the ice cream. 🍦

This is why we encourage anyone who knows someone living with dementia to continue to visit them and help them to live well because they will remember the feelings of love and happiness. 

Remember - you can live well with dementia. This analogy is from the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends information session that I deliver.

I’ll be doing another live shortly so keep an eye out, if you like this message share it out & leave me a comment.

If you know someone who may need a carer let them know about me and about CareChooser.

Christopher “Picks Star Carers” Downie

P.S. Whenever you’re ready... here are 5 ways I can help improve the wellbeing of your elderly parents/spouse:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1. Grab a free copy of my e-book; 3 quick tips to beat falls and confusion. It’s a road map to wellbeing - a 20 second read... We asked the GP on our team; Malcolm for his 3 top tips. — Click Here (https://www.carechooser.com#homecare-falls) Look for the gold banner.

2. Join CareChooser’s Facebook page and connect with us. It’s our new Facebook community where you can follow and learn from us. — Click Here (https://www.facebook.com/CareChooser)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3. If you’d like us to improve the wellbeing of your parents/spouse and have us find you a consistent carer send me a message on WhatsApp at bit.ly/carechooser-WA with the words “Carer”. Tell me a little about your parents/spouse, we’ll check availability in your area, send profiles and arrange a meeting. 

4. Join us and be a Case Study I’m putting together a new case study at CareChooser... stay tuned for details. If you’d like to work with me on improving the wellbeing of your parents/spouse and learn the secrets to getting the most from a carer... just send me a message on WhatsApp at bit.ly/carechooser-WA with the words “Case Study”.

5. Work with me and my team privately.
If you’d like to work directly with me and my team to take you from stressed to wellbeing and have us find a bespoke carer matched uniquely for your family just send me a message on WhatsApp at bit.ly/carechooser-WA with the word “Private”... tell me a little about your parents/spouse and what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details!

Our carers provide you with specialised dementia care at home. Your loved ones will be looked after by carers with experience working and supporting people living with dementia and know how to adapt to the condition's changing nature.

Contact us on 0208 886 0686 if we can help in anyway. 

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We are a dementia friendly organisation and we deliver the Alzheimer's Society's free 45 minute-1hour long Dementia Friends information session. This session takes a very positive view of dealing with dementia. One of it's key 5 messages is that it is possible to live well with dementia. We also strongly align to one of the key elements of the campaign to change the way people talk about dementia and changing from the use of the term 'dementia sufferer' to 'person living with dementia'. We regularly deliver the free Dementia Friends session and can also deliver it 1:1 to family members or to whole family groups. 

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

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Dementia Is Not Just About Memory

Imagine the brain is a string of fairy lights...

When a person has dementia, some of the fairy lights may flicker or dim.

Why? Because dementia is a physical disease of the brain.

Depending on which light flickers or dims (which nerve cells in the brain are affected by the build up of plaque)...

That will determine which bodily function is affected by dementia.

Remember. It’s not just about memory.

If the part of the brain 🧠 that controls vision 👀 is affected, then the person’s vision will be affected.

If the communication between the nerve cells that control movement are affected... movement will become difficult.

Here’s yesterday’s video on dementia and fairy lights. 

Our carers provide you with specialised dementia care at home. Your loved ones will be looked after by carers with experience working and supporting people living with dementia and know how to adapt to the condition's changing nature.

Contact us on 0208 886 0686 if we can help in anyway. 

---

We are a dementia friendly organisation and we deliver the Alzheimer's Society's free 45 minute-1hour long Dementia Friends information session. This session takes a very positive view of dealing with dementia. One of it's key 5 messages is that it is possible to live well with dementia. We also strongly align to one of the key elements of the campaign to change the way people talk about dementia and changing from the use of the term 'dementia sufferer' to 'person living with dementia'. We regularly deliver the free Dementia Friends session and can also deliver it 1:1 to family members or to whole family groups. 

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

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Dementia

Our carers provide you with specialised dementia care at home. Your loved ones will be looked after by carers with experience working and supporting people living with dementia and know how to adapt to the condition's changing nature. Read our short dementia guide below and contact us on 0208 886 0686 if we can help in anyway. 

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We are a dementia friendly organisation and we deliver the Alzheimer's Society's free 45 minute-1hour long Dementia Friends information session. This session takes a very positive view of dealing with dementia. One of it's key 5 messages is that it is possible to live well with dementia. We also strongly align to one of the key elements of the campaign to change the way people talk about dementia and changing from the use of the term 'dementia sufferer' to 'person living with dementia'. We regularly deliver the free Dementia Friends session and can also deliver it 1:1 to family members or to whole family groups. 

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

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Previous conditions covered:

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 1 - Multiple Sclerosis

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 2 - Dementia

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 3 - Diabetes

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 4 - Alzheimer's

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 5 - Vascular Dementia

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 6 - Parkinson's

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Outline

Dementia is a confusing term, it's often confused with Alzheimer's disease and other diseases. Dementia is an umbrella term that describes a set of different symptoms. It is caused when the brain is physically damaged by diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or Vascular dementia. Dementia is caused by diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer's is a dementia. 

Symptoms

• There are many different diseases that can result in dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Mixed dementia, Dementia with Lewy bodies, Fronto-temporal dementia (including Pick’s disease). There are also many other rarer diseases which cause dementia and make up around 5% of all dementias, these include corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, HIV infection, Niemann-Pick disease type C, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Parkinson's disease and Huntingdon's disease.

There are lots of symptoms relating to dementia, the Alzheimer's Society has a fantastic analogy to help understand the different symptoms of dementia and how they affect the functions of the body, not just memory loss. 

Imagine the brain is a series of fairy lights. Dementia can cause some of these fairy lights in the brain to start to flicker, dim and then eventually to go out. Depending on which fairy light starts to flicker, or which part of the brain is affected by dementia will then affect which bodily function will start to become affected. 

Some of the symptoms of dementia are changes in mood. This can mean a person living with dementia can become frustrated, anxious, upset, sad or angry. A person living with dementia will have cognitive difficulties, such as difficulties with memory and thinking. Their ability to remember and recall things that happened more recently and remembering the day, the date or where they are will become difficult. People living with dementia may find it easier to recall events that happened further into the past than more recent ones.

Making decisions and carrying out a series of tasks such as making a cup of tea or cooking a meal may also become difficult. It may be more tricky to follow conversations or to follow and understand what is said on TV. Dementia can also affect vision which can cause problems with seeing objects or judging distances. 

Other symptoms could include hallucinations, delusions or physical symptoms such as weakness, weight loss and changes in appetite or sleep. 

Dementia is progressive which means it will gradually get worse, this will happen at different rates depending which disease has caused the dementia. Alzheimer's is usually more gradual, whilst Vascular dementia has a more step-like progression.

Care

There is currently a lot research being done into dementia but at this time, most of its causes cannot be cured. There are lots of support, activities and therapies that can help a person living with dementia to live well. 

Lots of products exist that can assist in daily life such as anti-spill mugs, user-friendly utensils, talking or written word clocks, pill boxes and user-friendly phones. There are also new technologies incorporating the internet of things which monitor the use and also non-use of doors and electrical appliances. 

Many forms of cognitive therapies exist also that can aid a person's mind and keep them independent and living well. Local services and activities that provide singing and meet-ups providing enjoyment, stimulation and social interaction are often hugely valuable and worth looking into also. 

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Vascular Dementia

Our carers have experience working with and supporting people living with vascular dementia. They're able to respond and adapt the way they deal with the disease as it progresses. Below is a short guide giving you an overview of vascular dementia. If we can help in any way contact us at 0208 886 0686 or use one of the forms to schedule a callback.

Previous conditions covered:

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 1 - Multiple Sclerosis

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 2 - Dementia

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 3 - Diabetes

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 4 - Alzheimer's

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 5 - Vascular Dementia

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 6 - Parkinson's

Outline

Vascular dementia is a form of dementia. It is caused when the flow of blood to the brain is reduced. In the UK currently around 150,000 are living with vascular dementia.

Dementia is a confusing term, it's often confused with Alzheimer's disease and other diseases. Dementia is an umbrella term that describes a set of different symptoms. It is caused when the brain is physically damaged by diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or Vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is one of many types of dementia.

Vascular dementia is progressive which means it usually gets worse over time. It can start at different speeds and it's progression is often step like. 

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Symptoms

There are many different symptoms related to vascular dementia such as feeling confused or becoming disorientated. Other symptoms include changes in behaviour and or mood, difficulties with understanding and with concentration. There can also be physical difficulties with mobility such as walking and balance. 

Many people who are living with vascular dementia may also have a mixed dementia and also live with Alzheimer's disease, symptoms can include  difficulties with language and with memory. 

A person living with vascular dementia may find it difficult to carry out everyday tasks and may need a level of home care support or support from family members.  

Care

There isn't currently a cure for vascular dementia and it is progressive although it is possible to slow down and also to live well the disease. Lifestyle choices such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthily, stopping smoking, doing exercise, taking medication as recommended by a GP and reducing alcohol consumption can help. Therapies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychological therapies can also help. 

We are a dementia friendly organisation and we deliver the Alzheimer's Society's free 45 minute long Dementia Friends information session. This session takes a very positive view of dealing with dementia. One of it's key 5 messages is that it is possible to live well with dementia. We also strongly align to one of the key elements of the campaign to change the way people talk about dementia and changing from the use of the term 'dementia sufferer' to 'person living with dementia'. We regularly deliver the free Dementia Friends session and can also deliver it 1:1 to family members or to whole family groups. 

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

The products, support and activities below are from the guide on dementia, this support is also relevant for people living with vascular dementia.

There are lots of support, activities and therapies that can help a person living with dementia to live well. 

Lots of products exist that can assist in daily life such as anti-spill mugs, user-friendly utensils, talking or written word clocks, pill boxes and user-friendly phones. There are also new technologies incorporating the internet of things which monitor the use and also non-use of doors and electrical appliances. 

Many forms of cognitive therapies exist also that can aid a person's mind and keep them independent and living well. Local services and activities that provide singing and meet-ups providing enjoyment, stimulation and social interaction are often hugely valuable and worth looking into also. 

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Alzheimer's

Our home carers have thousands of hours experience working with and supporting people living with Alzheimer's. Below is our short guide giving you a quick overview of Alzheimer's disease. If we can help contact us at 0208 886 0686 or use one of the forms to schedule a callback.

Previous conditions covered:

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 1 - Multiple Sclerosis

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 2 - Dementia

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 3 - Diabetes

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 4 - Alzheimer's

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 5 - Vascular Dementia

• Home Care Guide - Conditions - Episode 6 - Parkinson's

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Outline

Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia. It's the most common dementia and it's estimated that 850,000 people are affected in the UK.

Alzheimer's is a physical disease which affects the brain and so is known as a neurological disease.  When a person has Alzheimer's, proteins build up in the brain and form plaque. These plaques cause a loss in connection between the nerve cells in the brain. This can cause nerve cells to die. 

There are factors that increase the risk of getting Alzheimer's though as yet the exact cause of the disease is unknown. These factors include severe head injuries, family history of Alzheimer's, age and lifestyle. 

Symptoms

Alzheimer's disease usually begins with difficulties with more recent memory such as forgetting recent conversations, events, names and places. 

Alzheimer's is progressive so difficulties will become worse over time which can lead to confusion, getting lost, difficulty with making decisions, problems with movement, self-care, mood speech, language, personality changes and difficulty judging distances. 

These difficulties will become increasingly severe and the person living with Alzheimer's may need more support from families. Some people with Alzheimer's may develop sleeplessness, aggression, hallucinations, seeing and hearing things that are not there and delusions and believing things that aren't true. 

Alzheimer's disease may eventually lead to difficulties with walking, eating and being aware of their surroundings and will need support with their daily lives.

Care

We are a dementia friendly organisation and we deliver the Alzheimer's Society's free 45 minute long Dementia Friends information session. This session takes a very positive view of dealing with dementia. One of it's key 5 messages is that it is possible to live well with dementia. We also strongly align to one of the key elements of the campaign to change the way people talk about dementia and changing from the use of the term 'dementia sufferer' to 'person living with dementia'. We regularly deliver the free Dementia Friends session and can also deliver it 1:1 to family members or to whole family groups. 

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

Free Dementia Friends Information Session

At this time there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's though it is possible to live well with the disease. In the news yesterday (31st January 2018) scientists have developed a blood test that can detect the build-up of toxic proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease. 

There are drugs that can provide some help with memory difficulties and can also help make regular activities such as cooking and shopping easier to manage as well as helping with concentration and motivation. There are other drugs that can help a person living with more severe Alzheimer's disease which can help again with memory, concentration and daily activities and can also ease delusions and challenging behaviours.

The products, support and activities below are from the guide on dementia, this support is also relevant for people living with Alzheimer's disease. 

There are lots of support, activities and therapies that can help a person living with dementia to live well. 

Lots of products exist that can assist in daily life such as anti-spill mugs, user-friendly utensils, talking or written word clocks, pill boxes and user-friendly phones. There are also new technologies incorporating the internet of things which monitor the use and also non-use of doors and electrical appliances. 

Many forms of cognitive therapies exist also that can aid a person's mind and keep them independent and living well. Local services and activities that provide singing and meet-ups providing enjoyment, stimulation and social interaction are often hugely valuable and worth looking into also. 

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