The excellent Media Storm has posted this poignant, heartbreaking account of the Greer family and how they cope when Marilyn Greer is diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia.

This is an honest account of the effect of this devastating diagnosis, and how one family copes.

The Greers grew up as a 3-woman unit. This mother-daughter team was nicknamed “The Greer Girls.”

When Marilyn is diagnosed with dementia at age 58, her daughters refocused their lives to care for her during her most precious years.

As Marilyn’s disease progresses, the girls struggle to care for a woman who is less and less like their mother. Together, they navigate the unknown while balancing their personal lives until they are forced to make a heartbreaking decision.

Published: September 19, 2013

Credits

Director of Photography: Rick Gershon
Producer: Caitlyn Greene
Additional Cinematography: Caitlyn Greene, Bret Curry
Associate Producer: Arkasha Stevenson
Graphics: Joe Fuller
Executive Producer: Brian Storm

The Alzheimer’s Association
Frontotemporal Dementia
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration

Dance often

……A major study added to the growing evidence that stimulating one’s mind by dancing can ward off Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, much as physical exercise can keep the body fit. Dancing also increases cognitive acuity at all ages.

The 21-year study of senior citizens, 75 and older, was led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, funded by the National Institute on Aging, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Their method for objectively measuring mental acuity in aging was to monitor rates of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

The study wanted to see if any physical or cognitive recreational activities influenced mental acuity. They discovered that some activities had a significant beneficial effect. Other activities had none.

They studied cognitive activities such as reading books, writing for pleasure, doing crossword puzzles, playing cards and playing musical instruments. And they studied physical activities like playing tennis or golf, swimming, bicycling, dancing, walking for exercise and doing housework.

One of the surprises of the study was that almost none of the physical activities appeared to offer any protection against dementia. There can be cardiovascular benefits of course, but the focus of this study was the mind.

There was one important exception: the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia was frequent dancing.

Reading – 35% reduced risk of dementia

Bicycling and swimming – 0%

Doing crossword puzzles at least four days a week – 47%

Playing golf – 0%

Dancing frequently – 76%. That was the greatest risk reduction of any activity studied, cognitive or physical. read more

ᔥ Use it or lose it …Dancing makes you smarter

According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2013 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts & Figures report released today, one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia in the United States. The new report shows that while deaths from other major diseases, such as heart disease, HIV/AIDS and stroke, continue to experience significant declines, Alzheimer’s deaths continue to rise – increasing 68% from 2000-2010.

In addition, the study evaluated the contribution of individual common diseases to death using a nationally representative sample of older adults and found that dementia was the second largest contributor to death behind heart failure. Among 70-years-olds with Alzheimer’s disease, 61% are expected to die within a decade. Among 70-year-olds without Alzheimer’s, only 30% will die within a decade.

Alzheimer’s and dementia place an enormous burden on individuals and families. In 2012, there were more than 15 million caregivers who provided more than 17 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $216 billion. Individuals with dementia often require increasing levels of supervision and personal care as the disease progresses. As symptoms exacerbate as the disease progresses, the care required of family members and friends can often result in increased emotional stress and health challenges for caregivers. To learn more about the information released in Facts and Figures, visit alz.org to watch a video summarizing the report.
2013 Facts & Figures Facts and Figures also includes a special section focusing on the challenges faced by long-distance caregivers for people living with Alzheimer’s. The report finds that nearly 15% of caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s or another dementia are “long-distance caregivers” – caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease who live at least 1 hour away. These long-distance caregivers had annual out-of-pocket expenses nearly twice as high as local caregivers.

The Alzheimer’s Association provides a suite of free resources, programs and materials to assist individuals who live alone and their families, including:

Helpline: Available 24/7, this free call center (800.272.3900) offers information and support from master’s level clinicians.

The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center: From providing information about behaviors of those affected, to helping you find local support, our toolbox is available to help you answer even the complex questions.

ALZConnected: ALZConnected, powered by the Alzheimer’s Association, is a dedicated social networking community for anyone affected by Alzheimer’s disease; it provides a safe place for people to connect with others in similar situations 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at no charge.

For more information and resources to support those living alone with Alzheimer’s, visit the Alzheimer’s Association website at alz.org.

ᔥAlzheimer’s Association