Medicare Florida

New Study Links Surgery and Anesthesia With Alzheimer’s

2011-10-02T11:17:00.000-04:00

URL: http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2011/10/study-link...

"Although not definitive, this human biomarker study gives some credibility to the notion that anesthesia and surgery produce an inflammatory insult on the brain and accelerate chronic neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's."

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/qumB5f

Generic Aricept (Donepezil) Clarification

2011-01-07T17:51:00.000-05:00

It is clear that people are looking for clear, concise information on Generic Aricept. We had more than 10,000 visitors coming in from search engines like Google looking for information in the last thirty days.

See these updates:

Generic Aricept (Donepezil) Clarification

Branded Generic Aricept Price Drops 36 Percent

Bob DeMarco Discusses Alzheimer's Disease on Sidewalks

2010-12-26T15:00:00.001-05:00

In a special segment, Bob DeMarco, a veteran Wall Street executive whose mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and neurologist Dr. Mark Brody discuss Alzheimer's Disease with "Sidewalks Entertainment" host Cindy Rhodes....

Bob DeMarco is the Founder of the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one source of information, advice, and insight for the Alzheimer's community.

If you don't see the video -- go here.

About Alzheimer's Reading Room (Cinch Cast)

2010-07-24T13:59:00.002-04:00

100 Million Americans have been touched by Alzheimer's Disease, 35 million are worried about Alzheimer's Disease.

I soon realized that Alzheimer's caregivers are often thrust into their role with little or no experience, training, or education about Alzheimer's disease. As a result, they are often overwhelmed and suffer from feelings of helplessness.

Click below to Listen. You are welcome to recommend, share, or embed this audio on to your website.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

2-1-1 Get Help

2010-05-23T09:45:00.004-04:00

Every hour of every day, hundreds of people need essential human services - they are looking for training, employment, food pantries, help for an aging parent, addiction prevention programs for their teenage children, affordable housing options, support groups and ways of becoming part of their community. 2-1-1 allows people to give help and to get help.

clipped from 211us.org

Caregiving -- Insight and Advice
Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's (5 Best Self Assessment Tests)
Alzheimer's Disease Statistics
What is Alzheimer's? What are the Eight Types of Dementia?

Ten Symptoms of Early Stage Alzheimer's

2010-05-19T11:18:00.001-04:00

Doctors are not good at diagnosing Alzheimer's and neither are spouses or children.....

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

I would like to use the period from Mother's Day through Father's Day to try and spread the word about the symptoms of the early stages of Alzheimer's -- How to Spot Alzheimer's Early.

Go here to read the full article -- Ten Symptoms of Early Stage Alzheimer's

The Alzheimer's Action Plan

300 Tips for Making Life Easier

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Side Effects of Aricept and Namenda Combination

2010-01-21T09:59:00.003-05:00

The Combination of Aricept and Namenda Helps Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients

Side Effects of Aricept and Namenda Combination

By Bob DeMarco

More About the Alzheimer's Reading Room
Advice and Insight -- Alzheimer's Reading Room
Communicating in Alzheimer's World
Worried About Alzheimer's Disease -- You Should Be
Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia
Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients
Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
Dimebon Connection Study
The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver (Part One)
The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
Alzheimer's Wandering Why it Happens and What to Do
60 Good Reasons to Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room Now
Urinary Incontinence -- How We Beat Alzheimer's Incontinence

Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. Bob has written more than 1,050 articles with more than 8,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's Disease: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's In American -- Where American Stands Video

2010-01-13T15:13:00.003-05:00

The video, Where America Stands on Alzheimer's, discusses facts about Alzheimer's disease, the search for a cure, and the baby boomer generation.....

The video also points out that eating a Mediterranean style diet could be an important factor in preventing Alzheimer's disease.

This short video is packed with information about Alzheimer's disease including: facts, trends, causes, genetics, research, and symptoms. Worth watching a few times to let in all sink in.

I strongly suggest that you share this video with family, friends, and co-workers.

The share button at the top of the article makes it easy to send the information to others, or share on sites like Twitter, Facebook, and StumbleUpon.

Also read:
What is a Mediterranean Style Diet?
What is Alzheimer's Disease ?

What Was the First Sign of Alzheimer's Disease in Your Case?
What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Alzheimer's Disease and the Five Stages of Grief
Alzheimer's Disease, Urinary Tract Infections, Urinary Incontinence, Poop (8 Articles)
Communicating in Alzheimer's World
Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Advice and Insight (20 articles)
Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's Disease (5 Best Self Assessment Tests)
Alzheimer's Disease Statistics
Alzheimer's Disease and Driving
Alzheimer's Caregiving Dealing with Behavior
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
What is Dementia?
Alzheimer's Disease -- The Front Row
Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's Disease
Generic Aricept News and Pricing
The Plan to End Alzheimer's Disease by 2020 (Podcast)

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

60 Minutes Medicare Fraud A $60 Billion Crime (Video, Text Transcript)

2009-10-26T09:45:00.000-04:00

A.G. Holder Tells 60 Minutes More Oversight Is Needed; Scammer Explains How Easy It Is To Steal Millions

60 Minutes Medicare Fraud A $60 Billion Crime is sure to make taxpayers irate.

Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via Email

You might also find these articles of interest.

A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis

Waste in Healthcare Spending Should be Issue Number One In Healthcare Insurance Reform

World Health Care Spending and Performance Ranking by Country (Table)

The price of excess: Identifying waste in healthcare spending

An Agenda for Change: Improving Quality and Curbing Health Care Spending: Opportunities for the Congress and the Obama Administration

Medicare Fraud: A $60 Billion Crime
A.G. Holder Tells 60 Minutes More Oversight Is Needed; Scammer Explains How Easy It Is To Steal Millions

Of all the problems facing the United States right now, none are more important than health care.

President Obama says rising costs are driving huge federal budget deficits that imperil our future, and that there is enough waste and fraud in the system to pay for health care reform if it was eliminated.

At the center of both issues is Medicare, the government insurance program that provides health care to 46 million elderly and disabled Americans. But it also provides a rich and steady income stream for criminals who are constantly finding new ways to steal a sizable chunk of the half trillion dollars that are paid out each year in Medicare benefits.

In fact, Medicare fraud - estimated now to total about $60 billion a year - has become one of, if not the most profitable, crimes in America.

This story may raise your blood pressure, along with some troubling questions about our government's ability to manage a medical bureaucracy.

If you want to find Medicare fraud, the first place you should look is South Florida, where 60 Minutes and correspondent Steve Kroft were told it has pushed aside cocaine as the major criminal enterprise.

It's a quiet crime - there are no sirens or gunfire. The only victims are the American taxpayers, and they don't even know they are being ripped off.

FBI Special Agent Brian Waterman, who 60 Minutes rode with for several days, told us the only visible evidence of the crimes are the thousands of tiny clinics and pharmacies that dot the low-rent strip malls.

You don't even know they're there because there's never anyone inside. No doctors, no nurses and no patients.

"This office number should be manned and answered 24 hours a day," Waterman explained, standing outside one of those small, unstaffed businesses.

The tiny medical supply company billed Medicare almost $2 million in July and a half million dollars while 60 Minutes was there in August, but we never found anybody inside, and our phone calls were never returned.

Sometimes, they don't even have offices: we went looking for a pharmacy at 7511 NW. 73rd Street that billed Medicare $300,000 in charges. It turned out to be in the middle of a public warehouse storage area.

"They've already told us that there's no offices here," Waterman told Kroft. "There are no businesses here. In fact they are not even allowed to have a business here."

Waterman is the senior agent in the Miami office in charge of Medicare fraud. And Kirk Ogrosky, a top Justice Department prosecutor, oversees half a dozen Medicare fraud strike forces that have been set up across the country.

The office Kroft visited operates out of a warehouse at a secret location in South Florida and includes investigators from the FBI, Health and Human Services, and the IRS.

"There's a healthcare fraud industry where people do nothing but recruit patients, get patient lists, find doctors, look on the Internet, find different scams. There are entire groups and entire organizations of people that are dedicated to nothing but committing fraud, finding a better way to steal from Medicare," Waterman explained.

"Is the Medicare fraud business bigger than the drug business in Miami now?" Kroft asked.

"I think it's way bigger," Ogrosky said.

Asked what changed, Ogrosky told Kroft, "The criminals changed."

"Sophistication," Waterman added.

"They've figured out that rather than stealing $100,000 or $200,000, they can steal $100 million. We have seen cases in the last six, eight months that involve a couple of guys that if they weren't stealing from Medicare might be stealing your car," Ogrosky explained.

"You know, we were the king of the drugs in the '80s. We're king of healthcare fraud in the '90s and the 2000's," Waterman added, speaking about South Florida.

But it's not just Miami: in March, the FBI arrested 53 people in Detroit, including a number of doctors, and charged them with billing Medicare more than $50 million for unnecessary medical procedures.

And in Los Angeles, the City of Angels Medical Center recruited homeless people off the street to fill their empty beds, offering them cash and drugs plus clean sheets and three square meals a day, while billing Medicare tens of millions of dollars for their stay.

"We have to understand this is a major fraud area," United States Attorney General Eric Holder told Kroft.

Holder is taking a crime that has been in the backwaters of law enforcement and made it a top priority at the Justice Department.

"Why do you think it's been so attractive for the criminals?" Kroft asked.

"Because I think it's been pretty easy. I think that they have found a way in which they have been able to get pretty substantial amounts of money with not a huge amount of effort and at least until now, without the possibility of great detection," Holder explained.

The attorney general agreed that the risks are much lower. "You'll see some of these people and they'll say 'You know there is not a chance that you are going to have some other drug dealer shooting at you.' The chances of being incarcerated were lower, the amount of time you would spend in jail was smaller. All of which is different now."

"You're wakin' up every day makin' $20,000, $30,000, $40,000. Every day, almost literally. And you're like 'Wow I just won the lottery,'" a man we'll call "Tony" told Kroft.

Tony is not his real name. Before he was ratted out by a friend and brought down by the FBI, he was making Wall Street money running a string of phony medical supply companies out of a building that were theoretically providing wheel chairs and other expensive equipment to Medicare patients.

He told Kroft he stole about $20 million from Medicare. He told Kroft it was "real easy."

"And you're not exactly a criminal mastermind?" Kroft asked.

"No. No," Tony said. "No, not really. It's more like common sense."

Asked if he actually ever sold any medical equipment, Tony said, "No. Just have somebody in an office answering the phone, like we're open for business. And wake up in the morning, see how much, check your bank account and see how much money you made today."

He told Kroft he didn't have any medical equipment or real clients - all of it was fake.

"And you would just fill out some invoices and some forms and send 'em to Medicare?" Kroft asked.

"That's it. In 15 to 30 days you'll have a direct deposit in your bank account. I mean it was ridiculous. It's more like taking candy from a baby," Tony said.

According to the FBI, all you have to do to get into this business is rent a cheap storefront office, find or create a front man to get an occupational license, bribe a doctor or forge a prescription pad, and obtain the names and ID numbers of legitimate Medicare patients you can bill the phony charges to.

"There's a whole industry of people out there that do nothing but provide patients," Waterman told Kroft.

Asked what he means by "provide patients," Waterman said, "I'm just talking about lists of patients, people's names, Social Security numbers, addresses, and date of birth. With those four things, you can bill for a patient."

Asked where Tony got his fictitious customers, he told Kroft, "They'll be people that would sell you a list of maybe $10 per patient. And I'll buy 1,000, 10,000 maybe at a time. And then you just fill in the patient's name and you send it. And then I used the same patients with the same company and then the next company I used the same patients and I kept using them, and they'll pay for the same patient every time."

Once the crooked companies get hold of the patient lists, usually stolen from doctors' offices or hospitals, they begin running up all sorts of outlandish charges and submit them to Medicare for payment, knowing full well that the agency is required by law to pay the claims within 15 to 30 days, and that it has only enough auditors to check a tiny fraction of the charges to see if they are legitimate.

If they're not, it's usually people like 76-year-old Clara Mahoney who catch them.

She began to notice all sorts of crazy things turning up on her quarterly Medicare statements back in 2003 - things that Medicare paid for on her behalf that she had never ordered, never wanted and never received.

"Air mattresses, a wheel chair, urine bag for my leg," Mahoney said, listing some of the unwanted items Medicare was charged for on her behalf. "It was getting so I didn't wanna open up the explanation of benefits because you know, it's like, 'Oh, no. Not again.'"

Mahoney, who says she hasn't been sick in 30 years, began calling Medicare to tell them that someone was ripping them off. But the only responses she received were letters saying that someone was looking into it. The bogus charges are still turning up on her statements.

"And I continued to report and I kept saying, 'Can't you flag my account? You know, I'm not getting any equipment or supplies. Nothing,'" she told Kroft.

They have been "looking" into Mahoney's issue for six years.

Once criminals like Tony get their hands on usable patient numbers, they try and charge Medicare for the most expensive equipment possible, which requires having access to a list of Medicare codes.

Asked what some of the best codes were, Tony told Kroft, "Artificial limbs, electric arms, electric wheelchairs. I mean, a regular patient, you can put them on two artificial legs and an artificial arm and they'll pay for it."

And that's what happened to former Federal Judge Ed Davis. He was one of those patients who started getting charges on his Medicare statement for artificial limbs.

"And I looked at it and it had charges for prosthesis. And I knew I had my arms," Judge Davis explained.

Though he has two healthy arms, his statement showed Medicare had been billed for a left and a right arm.

"Didn't anybody in Medicare check to see if any of these charges were valid?" Kroft asked Tony.

"Sometimes they'll do it. But by the time they did it, it was too late," Tony said. "We've already made $300,000, $400,000, $500,000 on it. And then we will never send 'em nothing back. And then at 30 days they'll send an inspector to your office. And by that time…it's all closed down."

They would pay first and send an auditor later.

"There's somethin' I don't understand. I mean, you're saying essentially people just fill out the phony paperwork, they send a bill to Medicare and they pay it," Kroft remarked to Brian Waterman.

"That's why you have companies that can run for 60, 90 days, and bill for ridiculous things. Because there are very few checks and balances to even determine whether these things a, were medically necessary, b, were ever given, or c, even physically possible for a patient with the kind of conditions they have," Waterman explained.

The FBI calls it "pay and chase." And riding around with them we saw plenty of examples. One tiny pharmacy in a Hialeah strip mall went from billing Medicare $13,000 in May to billing nearly a million dollars a month later.

The small, now shut-down office billed $800,000 in the month if June.

By the time we were there in August, the FBI says the owners had already burned the company, shut it down and moved on to another operation.

"We were here last week. There was stuff on the shelves. The business still had a name on it. You can still see from where the tape is that someone just took this off," Waterman told Kroft, standing outside the empty storefront.

To understand just how preposterous all of this is, the FBI says the tiny little store collected six times more money from Medicare in June than the largest Walgreen Pharmacy in the state of Florida.

It's quite an achievement, since neither the FBI nor the proprietor of the bingo parlor next door ever saw a customer coming or going.

"I've never seen people, only twice," the Bingo hall proprietor told Kroft. "No customers. It's always been locked."

We obviously had a few questions to ask the people at Medicare and requested an interview with the person in charge of preventing fraud. That turned out to be Kim Brandt, Medicare's director of program integrity.

"We went around with an FBI agent and a woman from Health and Human Services. They took us to storefront, billing three or four hundred thousand dollars a month. And they were completely empty. Nobody there. I mean, how do they get away with that?" Kroft asked.

"We're as frustrated by that as the law enforcement officials that you went out with. And in fact, our primary focus over the past years has been to tighten our enrollment standards to make it so it's much harder for people like that to be able to get in the program, and to be able to commit that kind of fraud," Brandt said.

"Look, I'm sure that you're aware of these problems. But it doesn't seem like you're doing a very good job. I don't mean you personally, but I mean, the government. This is still like a huge problem, and getting worse, right?" Kroft asked.

"Well, it really does come down to the size and scope of the Medicare program, and the resources that are dedicated to oversight and anti fraud work. One of our biggest challenges has been that we have a program that pays out over a billion claims a year, over $430 billion, and our oversight budget has been extremely limited," Brandt said.

About that there is little dispute: Medicare has just three field inspectors in all of South Florida to check up on thousands of questionable medical equipment companies.

"Clearly more auditing needs to be done and it needs to be done in real time," Attorney General Eric Holder said.

Asked why it has taken Medicare so long to figure out they were being scammed, Holder told Kroft, "I think lack of resources probably. And then I think people I don't think necessarily thought that something as well intentioned as Medicare and Medicaid would necessarily attract fraudsters. But I think we have to understand that it certainly has."

The Obama administration is providing Medicare with an additional $200 million to fight fraud as part of its stimulus package, and billions of dollars to computerize medical records and upgrade networks, which should help Medicare catch more phony charges.

But Tony, who has just begun serving his 12 year prison sentence, says there's no shortage of people in Miami waiting to take his place.

Asked how many people in Miami were doing this, Tony said, "I'd say at least 2,000 people. At least 2,000, 3,000 companies."

He estimated that less than five percent of these companies were legitimate.

"If went to the phone book and looked under medical equipment suppliers, 95 percent of the companies would be phony?" Kroft asked.

"Yes, sir," Tony replied.

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Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

H1N1 Flu Shot, Alzheimer's and Dementia -- Our Decision on the Shot

2009-10-19T23:33:00.002-04:00

The facts in this case are that the H1N1 flu virus is spreading fast, and we really haven't seen anything like it. If you watch the 60 Minutes video you will understand what I am saying.

As an Alzheimer's caregiver, I have to decide whether or not my mother will take the shot.

To read about my decision and how I made it go here.

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Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for news, advice, and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob has written more than 800 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

Healthcare Spending Relative Ranking

2009-08-12T11:54:00.005-04:00

Caring for Our Parents (Book Review)

2009-07-19T21:56:00.000-04:00

This is a serious book by an accomplished journalist, writer--Howard Gleckman.

'If you are a Boomer, you should buy this book and put it on the coffee table. You will need it in the future to take care of yourself. The notes section of this book, alone, is worth the purchase price. The 22 pages of notes come in the form of a bibliography that you will be referring to over and over in the years ahead.

Caring for Our Parents is chock full of information and example that you, and I, will need as we age'. --Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Caring for Our Parents: Inspiring Stories of Families Seeking New Solutions to America's Most Urgent Health Crisis

To continue reading go here.

Questions About Test Your Memory for Alzheimers and Dementia (TYM)

2009-06-14T13:46:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, I published an article about a new memory test for Alzheimer's that can be administered in five minutes. The links to the test and scoring sheet are contained in the original article -- Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes.

I am receiving emails from readers and I thought I would address two questions.

One reader asked, "I am curious to hear their opinion, about the level of education for the test taker, and its effect on the validity of the test".

The authors did not specifically assess the effect of education during their testing. In the BMJ article they wrote,

This ceiling effect suggests that education and social class would have only mild effects on the TYM score, but we did not formally assess this. The reason for the low scoring controls was often apparent from the score sheet—lack of interest, reading problems, or a sense of humour.

I will try to talk to researchers and get a clearer answer to this question.

Several readers are asking about the scoring system for the test.

The control group scored 47 out of 50 (ages 18-70).
A score equal to, or less than, 42 detects Alzheimer's 93 percent of the time.
Patients with Alzheimer's scored 33 out of 50.
The range of scores for patients with Alzheimer's was 9-50.

The main finding of this research

The new "test your memory" (TYM) test is quick to use, examines 10 cognitive skills, and detects 93% of cases of Alzheimer’s disease.

If you would like to read the highly technical paper which was published in the BMJ follow this link -- Self administered cognitive screening test (TYM) for detection of Alzheimer’s disease: cross sectional study.

Have a question, put it in the comments box.

This is the first draft of this article and it will be updated.

For more Insight into Alzheimer's Disease
Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. TheAlzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 600 articles with more than 11,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

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2009-05-06T12:49:00.001-04:00

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The Memory Loss Tapes

2009-04-29T20:48:00.001-04:00

Announcement.

Subscribers to the Alzheimer's Reading Room can now obtain a free, complimentary, copy of the Memory Loss Tapes from HBO.

Obama Presidency Could Bring Cheaper Medicines, Universal Coverage

2008-12-01T10:53:00.001-05:00

One of the things that bothered me most during the Bush administration was the treatment of Medicare in the new Medicare program. I was shocked when I learned the legislation that passed would not allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Both the Veterans Administration and Medicaid are negotiating prescription drug prices and buying drugs at lower prices than Medicare. This is clearly a "sham" and one of the best examples of how politicians get in the pocket of special interest groups. Not allowing the largest purchaser of prescription drugs to negotiate is nonsensical.

Read More about this issue and Alzheimer's at the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Olfactory testing may be helpful in early identification of Alzheimer's

2008-10-28T11:54:00.001-04:00

Have you tested your sense of smell lately?

clipped from alzheimersreadingroom.blogspot.com

The other day my mother asked me what I was putting in my coffee. I told her cinnamon. This reminded me of a test I did with her several years ago. I asked her if she could smell things as I put them under her nose. She could not detect the odor on any of them. I did this after reading an article that indicated difficulty identifying common smells such as lemon, banana and cinnamon may be the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease. It dawned on me at that time this would be an interesting test for anyone worried about the early signs of Alzheimer's.

I do believe this is a useful test for older people and baby boomers. Early detection of memory decline is important as you age. On the other hand, if you pass the smell test with flying colors that is a good sign.

test

2008-10-27T23:55:00.002-04:00

test test test test test

Medicare Drug Benefit Premiums Rise, but Less Than Expected

2008-08-15T15:38:00.001-04:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

The average premium Medicare beneficiaries pay for prescription drug coverage will rise 12% next year — though in real terms that’s only three bucks a month more than they’re already paying.

Based on bids from the private insurers who provide the Medicare Part D benefit, the feds said yesterday that the average premium next year would be $28 a month. (UnitedHealth, Humana and Cigna are among those providing the plans, Bloomberg notes.)

The rise is due largely to people taking more medicines, and to the rising cost of drugs, the Associated Press says.

It’s worth noting that many of the most expensive drugs on the market now, such as some cancer treatments given via infusion, are covered by a different Medicare benefit, so the high cost of those drugs doesn’t figure into the Part D premiums.

Medicare Could Save Billions By Cutting Re-Hospitalization

2008-08-14T19:47:00.001-04:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

The percentage of patients who return to the hospital with in 30 days of being discharged could be cut dramatically, says an op-ed in this morning’s Boston Globe. A MedPAC study found that potentially preventable readmissions cost Medicare some $12 billion in 2005.

Medicare could improve things for patients — and ultimately save money — by paying more for a few key steps, argue the authors, a couple senior folks from the Commonwealth Fund.

One medical center lowered readmission rates for cardiac patients by 78% when nurses called the patients at home to check on key signs such as weight, swelling, and shortness of breath.

Medicare should bundle funding for this kind of follow-up monitoring in its payment for the patient’s initial hospital stay, and “claw back” the initial payment for any patient who is re-admitted to any hospital within 30 days, the authors suggest.

TauRx Therapeutics-- New treatment halts progress of Alzheimer's disease

2008-08-09T12:09:00.001-04:00

clipped from alzheimersreadingroom.blogspot.com

The results of the Phase 2 study of TauRx's new treatment strongly suggest that it is possible to halt progression in mild and moderate Alzheimer's. TauRx is continuing to refine its treatment and hopes that restoration may be possible at least at the earlier stages with improved versions of its drug. Tangles are already destroying nerve cells in parts of the brain critical for memory in people in their fifties and upwards. The ultimate goal is to develop a product that is convenient for patients that could be widely used at the very earliest stages of the disease, long before patients experience the first symptoms of Alzheimer's.

Amazon.com Widgets

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2008-03-29T23:07:00.000-04:00

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2008-03-05T14:40:00.000-05:00

clipped from www.usatoday.com

Q: My mother just went into an assisted living facility due to Alzheimer's. It costs over $4500 per month. Are any portion of these expenses tax deductible?

Answer from AICPA member Kenneth J. Strauss: Sorry about your mother but the good news is that the entire $4,500 is fully tax deductible as a medical expense.

The rules can get pretty complicated but it is clear that Alzheimer's disease is a severe cognitive impairment which is the threshold for determining if the taxpayer is entitled to a full medical deduction.

Like all medical deductions the total amount of medical deductions is an itemized deduction. The medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of her adjusted gross income are deductible.

Depending on how high her income is will determine the full tax benefit. This might be a year to take some extra money from her retirement account. If your mother does not have the resources and you or another family member is paying then you should see if your mom can qualify as a dependent.

Mass. Health Gurus Call for Revivial of Managed Care

2008-03-01T12:21:00.001-05:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

Massachusetts is in a pickle that could soon spread nationwide: How to make sure everyone can afford to buy health insurance. The state recently mandated insurance for all, but is finding it tougher than expected to bring down insurance premiums and copays to make coverage affordable.

In an op-ed in this morning’s Globe, two of the state’s health gurus say the answer lies in managed care

Dorsey, former medical director at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Berwick, CEO of the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Improvement, both practiced medicine in the Harvard Community Health Plan, a managed care system they say was an early adopter of every hot idea you can think of: “electronic medical records, patient reminders, creative roles for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants, quality measurement, and more.”

Read a recent WSJ profile of Berwick.

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Memory And Thinking Problems Decline Among Older Americans

2008-02-27T13:47:00.000-05:00

clipped from www.alzheimersanddementia.org

clipped from www.medicalnewstoday.com

A new US study suggests that brain health is improving among older Americans as demonstrated by a decline in thinking and memory problems in this group. The
researchers said improved cardiovascular care, better education, and being financially better off could be the main reasons.

The researchers found that:

About 40 per cent of the decrease in cognitive impairment over the decade ending in 2002 was likely due to increases in education and personal wealth.
They found this by comparing two groups of seniors, one at the start of the decade and one at the end.

School attendance requirements, graduation rates in high school, enrollment rates in college or technical school, all went up in the period when the
adults in the study were children and young adults.

72 per cent of people aged over 65 living in 2003 had a high school diploma compared with 53 per cent in 1990.

The proportion of college-educated elderly also went up during that time, from 11 to 17 per cent.

Evercare Unveils Details Of Nation's First Alzheimer's Disease Special Needs Plan In Phoenix

2007-10-25T15:46:00.001-04:00

I am looking forward to learning more about this program. I will investigate when this program might be coming to South Florida.

clipped from www.medicalnewstoday.com

Evercare, one of the nation's, and Arizona's, largest health care coordination
programs, today unveiled the details of the first-ever Medicare Advantage
Special Needs Plan designed exclusively for people with Alzheimer's disease and
chronic dementia. Residents of Maricopa County, Ariz. will be the first in the
country to have access to this innovative health plan with tailored benefits and
services, including special prescription drug coverage and the Alzheimer's
Association Safe Return® program. Evercare Care Managers will collaborate with
memory disorder specialists from the prestigious Phoenix-based Banner
Alzheimer's Institute, with the goal of enhancing Evercare's innovative model of
care. <BR><BR>The <I>Evercare® Health Plan for People with Alzheimer's Disease
and Related Dementia</I> provides benefits that go beyond traditional Medicare
coverage

Discovery suggests new ways to treat Alzheimer's cause, not just symptoms

2007-10-24T12:54:00.000-04:00

clipped from www.newsroom.ucla.edu

For some time, scientists have blamed Alzheimer's disease on a small molecule called amyloid beta protein (A beta) that leaves large gummy deposits in the brain. Recent studies suggest that these A beta proteins stick together to form floating toxic clumps that kill brain cells. Now, UCLA scientists have identified a tiny loop in A beta as the likely culprit behind the adhesion process.

The UCLA team discovered that gene mutations in A beta increase the loop's flexibility, enabling it to join easily with loops from other A beta proteins and form clumps. The loop also appears in the region of the protein that regulates how — and how much — A beta is made.

Principal investigator David Teplow, professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, is available for interviews.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published the findings in its Oct. 10 online early edition. For a PDF of the study, see www.eurekalert.org/pio/tipsheetdoc.php/237/zpq7481.pdf.

A New Tool for Diagnosing Alzheimer's Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

2007-09-06T13:37:00.000-04:00

This development has wonderful implications for diagnosing Alzheimer's; it has far reaching implications for those predisposed by genetics to Alzheimer's disease.

You will be hearing this word quite a bit in the coming months, Magnetoencephalography (MEG). If you read our previous post you will understand why this is likely. Researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School and Brain Sciences Center at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center recently identified a way to diagnose Alzheimer's and other brain diseases. I am often asked what I am doing for myself now that my mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The answer to this question is quite long and detailed. I will answers this question when I can on my companion blog, I am an Alzheimer’s CareGiver. For now, I will be investigating the use and potential for Magnetoencephalography as a tool in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. As I learn more I will be posting that information on this blog.

For now I can tell you this, the procedure is very expensive and is out of reach financially for the majority of us who are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s. Perhaps in the future there will good medical reasons for insurance companies to catch the disease early and treat it. When this occurs the test will become more readily available for those with insurance and likely cheaper for those without that benefit. We can only hope and pay attention to developments

Source Brain Sciences Center, University of Minnesota

Applications

MEG provides scientists a vital neuroimaging tool to gain critical perspectives into the basic mechanisms of the cognitive processes of the healthy, functioning brain in the same lightning speed at which the brain itself operates.

MEG studies also allow researchers valuable insights into the dysfunctional brain with respect to neurological disorders and diseases such as: schizophrenia, stroke, mental retardation, dyslexia and Alzheimer’s disease through measuring these changes in the brain’s electro-magnetic fields.

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a rare, complex neuroimaging technique that allows scientists a unique view of the dynamic, interactive brain. There are only a few research centers in the world that have the expertise and capital to incorporate this advanced level of technology into their brain studies.

The uniquely powerful MEG machine at the Brain Science Center uses a non-invasive, whole-head, 248 channel, super-conducting-quantum-interference-device (SQUID) to measure small magnetic signals reflecting changes in the electrical signals in the human brain. The incorporation of liquid helium creates the incredibly-cold conditions (4.2 kelvin) necessary for the MEG’s SQUIDs to be able to measure fields that are literally billions of times weaker than the background magnetic field of the earth.

Investigators at the Center use the MEG to measure these magnetic changes in the active, functioning brain in the speed of milliseconds. Used in conjunction with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to relate the MEG sources to brain structures, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), for optimal spatial resolution, researchers can now localize brain activity and measure it in the same temporal dimension as the functioning brain itself. This allows investigators to measure, in real-time, the integration and activity of neuronal populations while either working on a task, or at rest. The brains of healthy subjects and those suffering from dysfunction or disease are imaged and analyzed in these MEG studies.

History

This ever-evolving technology began as a single-channel system in the 1970s. Since then, MEG technology has been constantly updated and refined into its current state-of-the-art status. The MEG instrument at the Brain Sciences Center, is one of the few of its caliber in existence. Its 248 SQUID sensors make this imaging machine one of the most powerful and technologically advanced in the world.

What is the Brain Sciences Center?

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease and Memory Loss in Later Life

dysfunctional brain, early signs of alzheimer's, genetically predisposed, I am an Alzheimer’s CareGiver, magnetoencephalography, meg, neuroimaging, predisposed by genetics to Alzheimer's

Johnnie Byrd Alzheimer's Center gets the shaft from the State of Florida

2007-08-16T12:50:00.000-04:00

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Johnnie Byrd Alzheimer's Center gets the shaft from the State of Florida

The early signs of Dementia (Alzheimer's)

2007-07-26T12:01:00.000-04:00

Looking back, there is little doubt in my mind that if I had had the proper education or information I would have realized my mother was suffering from dementia sooner. Most people like me tend to ignore the symptoms at first believing they are simply signs of "old age". Anyone who ends up in my shoes knows and understands that a person in the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s can function with some normality--even drive a car. It is not until they deteriorate or until some "event" takes place that we wake up to reality.

The article on the next page is one of the best I have read. The basic underlying premise is that behavior changes slowly in the elderly and if they begin to suffer cognitive impairment it will be evidenced in behavioral changes. Sometimes these changes can be quite subtle but if detected could raise a “red flag”.

If my mother had been enrolled in any of these studies I feel certain she would have been diagnosed with dementia sooner. This would have allowed me to get her in an exercise program, get her proper nutrition, and insure that she was taking her medicines as prescribed. I leaned in the last three years how important these three factors are in the quality of her life.

My mother turned 91 years old in June and she suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. I am her CarGiver.

I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver: The early signs of Dementia (Alzheimer's)

Statins that stave off Alzheimer's (Zocor)

2007-07-21T13:38:00.000-04:00

"The strength of this study is that it examines the issue with a huge amount of statistical power and uses existing data to look prospectively at Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s," said lead author Benjamin Wolozin, MD, PhD, a professor of pharmacology at BUSM.

"The strength of reduction of incidence of dementia with simvastatin is striking,".

Simvastatin
zocor
statins
alzheimer's
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Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that the statin, simvastatin, reduces the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease by almost 50 percent. This is the first study to suggest that statins might reduce the incidence of Parkinson’s disease. These findings, will be published in the July online open access journal BioMed Central (BMC) Medicine.

Statins that stave off Alzheimer's

By Nicole Laskowski

Statins May Stave Off Alzheimer’s

What’s up:

If you’re taking a statin to reduce cholesterol, you may also be improving your chances of avoiding certain neurodegenerative diseases. New research from the School of Medicine indicates that simvastatin, a statin sold as Zocor, reduces the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease by almost 50 percent.

The researchers, led by Benjamin Wolozin, a MED professor of pharmacology, screened the Decision Support System database of the United States Veterans Affairs Medical System, looking for the effects of three statins — simvastatin, lovastatin, and atorvastatin — on the expected incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. His study of more than 700,000 subjects taking simvastatin showed that the drug reduced the incidence of both Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease by almost 50 percent. A study of people taking atorvastatin showed that the drug reduced the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease by almost 10 percent. Lovastatin was not shown to reduce the incidence of either disease.

Wolozin is unsure why simvastatin reduces the incidence of these diseases, but he suspects that because the statin blocks a cholesterol-producing enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, it may also affect the production of other chemicals. He notes that simvastatin reduces inflammation, and that it increases the production of some growth factors in the brain, which may make neurons more capable of resisting chronic degenerative disease.

What it means to you:

“If you are someone who is at risk for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, you should use simvastatin because it could slow the process,” said Wolozin. “Most people currently use atorvastatin, because it is effective at reducing vascular injury related to cardiovascular disease. If your major health risk is cardiovascular disease, you might want to stay with atorvastatin, but if your major health risk is neurodegenerative disease, you might consider switching to simvastatin.”

Word to the wise:

At the moment, researchers recognize a relationship between simvastatin and the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. They do not know how this relationship works. Be advised that statins may cause side effects such as headaches, nausea, rash, weakness, and muscle pain.

What’s next: Wolozin hopes to learn to determine how strong the relationship is between statins and degenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. He plans on studying how the drug slows the progression of symptoms by gathering data on when Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease patients, both on and off the drug, meet certain well-known markers of the diseases.

Simvastatin
zocor
statins
alzheimer's
caregiving

alzheimer's disease, BioMed Central (BMC) Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, caregiving, dementia, HMG-CoA reductase, lovastatin, simvastatin, statin, zocor

Caregiver Resources

2007-07-11T19:27:00.000-04:00

The list on the follow page is a comprehensive list of caregiver resources. It is well worth copying for future reference.

Source Workforce

AARP: This organization supplies information about caregiving, long-term care and aging, including publications and audiovisual aids for caregivers. The free online seminar Planning for the Care of Aging Parents is just one example of the educational resources provided.
www.aarp.org/learn/course/ and www.aarp.org/research/housing-mobility/caregiving/
(800) 424-2277

Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline: Referral and support.
info@alz.org
(800) 272-3900

Benefits CheckUp: This Web site, operated by the National Council on the Aging, identifies federal and state assistance programs for older Americans in each community.
www.benefitscheckup.org and www.ncoa.org

Caregivers Marketplace: A free service for family caregivers that offers savings and education on a wide range of goods and services for anyone who "gives, gets or needs care."
www.caregiversmarketplace.com
(866) 327-8340

Caregiving Online: The site pulls together other sites that offer information on maintaining caregiver health
www.caregiving.com

Caregiver Survival Resources: The site aims to help others cope with the demands of caregiving.
www.caregiver911.com

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: The official U.S. government site for people on Medicare.
www.medicare.gov

Children of Aging Parents: A nonprofit, charitable organization whose mission is to assist the nation's nearly 54 million caregivers of the elderly or chronically ill with reliable information, referrals and support, and to heighten public awareness that the health of family caregivers is essential to ensure quality care of the nation's growing elderly population.
www.caps4caregivers.org
(215) 945-6900 or (800) 227-7294

ElderCare Online: An online community designed to provide comprehensive information and support for those caring for aging loved ones, especially those coping with Alzheimer's.
www.ec-online.net

Eldercare Locator: A national directory of community services.
www.eldercare.gov/eldercare/public/home.asp
(800) 677-1116

Family Caregiver Alliance: Tracks action on key legislative issues of concern to family caregivers and offers advice on how to get involved in advocacy efforts.
www.caregiver.org
(415) 434-3388

Family Caregiving Guides and Directories: A Department of Health and Human Services directory of Web sites for caregivers.
www.aoa.gov/eldfam/For_Caregivers/For_Caregivers.asp

First Gov for Seniors: A Web site maintained by the Social Security Administration to provide an up-to-date overview of health, wellness and financial issues of interest to older persons and their families.
www.seniors.gov

Healthy Caregiver: A magazine and online community dedicated to the issues and interests of contemporary adults caring for aging parents.
www.healthycaregiver.com

HomeCare Online: The National Association for Home Care’s virtual headquarters. NAHC is committed to representing the interests of the home care and hospice community.
www.nahc.org

Hospice Net: Organization provides information and support to patients and families facing life-threatening illnesses. Hospice Net is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization working exclusively through the Internet.
www.hospicenet.org

National Alliance for Caregiving: The NAC is dedicated to providing support to family caregivers of older persons and the professionals who help them and to increase public awareness of issues facing family caregiving.
www.caregiving.org

National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers: Care managers are professionals who coordinate caregiving services. They can be helpful when family members are not able to play an active role.
www.caremanager.org
(520) 881-8008

National Family Caregivers Association: NFCA is dedicated to making life better for all of America's family caregivers. Family caregivers focus on their loved ones’ needs; NFCA focuses on family caregivers.
www.nfcacares.org

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: The largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States. The organization is committed to improving end-of-life care and expanding access to hospice care with the goal of profoundly enhancing quality of life for the dying and their loved ones.
www.nhpco.org
(800) 658-8898

Today’s Caregiver magazine: A print and Web magazine dedicated to those caring for loved ones, written for caregivers by caregivers and dealing with topics like stress and depression management, financial, legal and medical advice, housing and incontinence.
www.caregiver.com

U.S. Administration on Aging: The federal agency that develops programs and information resources for the elderly and their families.
www.aoa.gov (click tab for "Older People and Their Families" for a caregivers handbook that can be downloaded.)

Family Caregivers Online Newsletter: Online educational resource with practical information for family caregivers.
www.familycaregiversonline.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leah Dobkin is a freelance writer based in Shorewood, Wisconsin. She has more than 30 years' experience working in the field of aging. She has prepared educational materials and articles for family caregivers, businesses and nonprofit organizations on this subject, has spoken at conferences and has conducted training for employees, employers and community service providers throughout the U.S. E-mail editors@workforce.com to comment.

The CareGiver Blog
Robert T DeMarco
The Alzheimer's Reading Room
AllAmerican Senior Care Weblog
Senior Care Elder Care CareGiver Alzheimer's Dementia CareGiver
Health and wellness Weblog

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Novartis' skin patch for Alzheimer's approved by FDA

2007-07-10T12:46:00.000-04:00

Once-daily skin patch offers novel approach to treating mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, providing smooth and continuous delivery of drug over 24 hours.

Exelon Patch preferred by caregivers in a study because it helps manage patient care and gives visual reassurance that medication has been administered.

Exelon Patch minimizes gastrointestinal side effects seen with oral form of drug.

Taken directly from the Novartis Press Release

Exelon®Patch, the first and only skin patch for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, receives first worldwide approval in US

Once-daily skin patch offers novel approach to treating mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, providing smooth and continuous delivery of drug over 24 hours
Similar efficacy to highest doses of Exelon capsules with significant improvement in memory and ability to perform everyday activities compared to placebo
Exelon Patch preferred by caregivers in a study because it helps manage patient care and gives visual reassurance that medication has been administered
Exelon Patch minimizes gastrointestinal side effects seen with oral form of drug

Basel, July 9, 2007 - Exelon®Patch (rivastigmine transdermal system) has received its first worldwide approval in the United States as an innovative way to deliver an effective medicine for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease patients through a skin patch instead of an oral capsule.

This new therapy is the first and only transdermal treatment for this degenerative condition affecting millions of people in the US. Exelon Patch offers effective treatment based on placebo-controlled clinical trial results showing significant benefits to patients in terms of their memory and ability to perform everyday tasks as well as helping their overall functioning.

Exelon Patch maintains steady drug levels in the bloodstream, improving tolerability and allowing a higher proportion of patients to receive therapeutic doses of medication, with potential improvements in efficacy. It is applied to the back, chest or upper arm, and provides smooth and continuous delivery of medication through the skin over 24 hours.

Gastrointestinal side effects are commonly seen with this class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors. The target dose of Exelon Patch greatly reduces these side effects, with three times fewer reports of nausea and vomiting than with the capsule form of the drug.

"Exelon Patch represents a significant advance in the treatment of this debilitating disease," said George Grossberg, MD, at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. "The unique delivery system helps both the patient and the caregiver by providing a much easier way to manage their therapy. The patch provides a visual reassurance for the caregiver that the patient is receiving their medication and helps the patient stay engaged in the activities of daily living."

Exelon Patch is expected to be available in US pharmacies soon. The medication was submitted for review in the European Union in late 2006.

The patch was designed with compliance in mind, and was preferred to capsules by more than 70% of caregivers as a method of drug delivery according to clinical study data, because it helped them follow the treatment schedule, interfered less with their daily life and was easier to use overall than the oral medication.

The approval of Exelon Patch is based on results from the international IDEAL (Investigation of Transdermal Exelon in ALzheimer's disease) clinical trial, involving nearly 1,200 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Exelon Patch showed similar efficacy to the highest doses of Exelon capsules1 and the target dose (9.5 mg/24 hours) was well tolerated by patients.

"Innovation isn't just about developing new compounds, but also about meeting therapeutic needs by taking existing knowledge and applying it in new ways," said James Shannon, MD, Global Head of Development at Novartis Pharma AG. "Exelon Patch addresses an important medical need by delivering a proven drug in an entirely new form that meets the needs of patients and their caregivers."

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease that alters the brain, causing impaired memory, thinking and behavior. Approximately 18 million people worldwide have Alzheimer's disease. In the US, more than five million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease and almost 10 million people provide care for someone living with dementia, most of which is related to Alzheimer's disease. By 2030, the number of people in the US who are age 65 and over with Alzheimer's disease is estimated to reach 7.7 million, more than 50% more than current levels.

The FDA also approved the use of Exelon Patch in treating patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease dementia. Parkinson's disease is a chronic and progressive neurological condition that affects approximately 1.5 million people in the US. Parkinson's disease dementia is a distinct and common disorder, one characterized by impairments in executive function, memory retrieval, and attention, in patients with an established diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Two of five people with Parkinson's disease are estimated to have Parkinson's disease dementia.

Disclaimer
The foregoing press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by forward-looking terminology, such as "expected to be", or implied statements regarding potential future revenues from the Exelon Patch. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that Exelon Patch will reach any particular sales levels. In particular, management's expectation regarding the commercial success of Exelon Patch could be affected by among other things, uncertainties relating to product development, regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally, the ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection and competition in general, as well as factors discussed in the Form 20F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in offering medicines to protect health, cure disease and improve well-being. Our goal is to discover, develop and successfully market innovative products to treat patients, ease suffering and enhance the quality of life. We are strengthening our medicine-based portfolio, which is focused on strategic growth platforms in innovation-driven pharmaceuticals, high-quality and low-cost generics, human vaccines and leading self-medication OTC brands. Novartis is the only company with leadership positions in these areas. In 2006, the Group's businesses achieved net sales of USD 37.0 billion and net income of USD 7.2 billion. Approximately USD 5.4 billion was invested in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 100,000 associates and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

# # #

Novartis Media Relations

Corinne Hoff
Novartis Global Media Relations
+41 61 324 9577 (direct)
+41 79 248 5717 (mobile)
corinne.hoff@novartis.com Christine Cascio
Novartis Pharma Communications
+1 862 778 8026 (direct)
+1 917 449 9982 (mobile)
christine.cascio@novartis.com

The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers: Looking After Yourself and Your Family While Helping an Aging Parent

alzheimer's disease, caregiver, Exelon Patch, family caregiver, novartis, skin patch, worldwide approval

Clinical Trial: Omega 3 Fatty Acid, Slowing the Progression of Alzheimer's Disease

2007-06-26T12:49:00.000-04:00

Preliminary studies have shown a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in people consuming increased amounts of fish in their diets. Many of the health benefits of fish are attributed to the abundance of omega 3 fatty acids. Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) is the most abundant omega 3 fatty acid in the brain. Data from several animal models supports the hypothesis that DHA may be an effective treatment for AD by means of anti-amyloid, antioxidant, and neuroprotectant mechanisms.

This study is currently recruiting patients.

Personal Note: I have been feeding my mother fish and giving her Omega 3 Oil daily for a couple of years. I believe it is beneficial.

For a complete description of the trial including eligibility requirements go to the Clinical Trials Page

Official Title: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial Of The Effects Of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) In Slowing The Progression Of Alzheimer’s Disease

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Control, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study

Further study details as provided by National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Primary Outcome Measures:
Changes in rate of cognitive and functional decline measured by ADAS-Cog and CDR-SOB

Preliminary studies have shown a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in people consuming increased amounts of fish in their diets. Many of the health benefits of fish are attributed to the abundance of omega 3 fatty acids. Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) is the most abundant omega 3 fatty acid in the brain. Data from several animal models supports the hypothesis that DHA may be an effective treatment for AD by means of anti-amyloid, antioxidant, and neuroprotectant mechanisms.

In this study, 400 individuals with mild to moderate AD will participate at approximately 53 study sites throughout the US for 18 months. Participants will be randomized so that 60% will receive approximately 2 grams of DHA, divided into 4 capsules, 2 capsules taken twice a day, while 40% receive an identical placebo.

Potential participants will go to their study site for a screening visit, where eligibility is determined, and if accepted, for a baseline visit where cognitive status, behavioral status, functional status, and global severity of dementia will be assessed. Vital signs and biomarker labs will also be obtained. Subsequent visits will occur every three months for medication checks and, every 6 months, further assessments, physical exams, and labs.

Some participants will also take part in MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and/or CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) sub-studies. For the MRI sub-study, scans will be done prior to beginning the study medication, and again after 18 months. Likewise, for the CSF sub-study, a lumbar puncture will be done prior to beginning the study medication, and again after 18 months.

Enrollment is restricted to individuals who consume no more than 200 mg of DHA per day, which is almost 300% of the average daily intake in an American diet. Individuals who take fish oil or omega 3 fatty acid supplements are also not eligible. Each visit will include completion of a very brief food frequency questionnaire to monitor dietary DHA levels.

The National Public Health Road Map to Maintaining Cognitive Health (Road Map)

2007-06-16T00:07:00.000-04:00

Download the The Healthy Brain Initiative

A National Public Health Road Map to Maintaining Cognitive Health.

The Healthy Brain Initiative

The Healthy Brain Initiative

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss in Later Life

2007-05-09T19:02:00.000-04:00

Alzheimer's Reading Room, The: The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss in Later Life

Americans Fear Alzheimer’s More Than Heart Disease, Diabetes or Stroke

2007-04-09T20:40:00.000-04:00

A recent study by the MetLife Foundation found that Americans fear getting Alzheimer's disease more than heart disease, stroke, or diabetes. Alzheimer's ranks second in the minds of American's only to cancer.

Read this at the Alzheimer's Reading Room, The: Americans Fear Alzheimer’s More Than Heart Disease, Diabetes or Stroke

Alzheimer's Disease Rate Rises to More Than Five Million in the United States

2007-03-20T17:27:00.000-04:00

Someone Develops Alzheimer's Every 72 Seconds, According To New Alzheimer's Association Report.

The Alzheimer’s Association today reports that in 2007 there are now more than 5 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease. This number includes 4.9 million people over the age of 65 and between 200,000 and 500,000 people under age 65 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Read more about this topic at The Alzheimer's Reading Room

The Senior Reading Room: Lonliness and Alzheimer's Linked

2007-02-07T14:04:00.000-05:00

"People who are lonely are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, a large US study has suggested."

Read this article at The Senior Reading Room:

The Alzheimer's Reading Room: Huperzine A in Alzheimer's Disease-The Clinical Trial

2007-02-04T17:28:00.000-05:00

The Alzheimer's Reading Room: Huperzine A in Alzheimer's Disease-The Clinical Trial

Five Ways to Lower your Cost of Drugs During the Coverage Cap

2007-01-16T14:36:00.000-05:00

This may be helpful if you expect to exceed the first $2400.00 of coverage this year for your presription drugs.

5 Ways to Lower Your Costs During the Coverage Gap

Consider Switching to Generics or Other Lower-Cost Drugs
You may wish to talk to your doctor about the drugs you are currently taking to find out if there are generic or less-expensive brand-name drugs that would work just as well as the ones you're taking now.

Cost savings information through the use of mail-order pharmacies, generic or less-expensive brand-name drugs is also available in the Prescription Drug Plan Finder section of www.medicare.gov

Explore National and Community-Based Charitable Programs
National and community-based charitable programs (such as the National Patient Advocate Foundation or the National Organization for Rare Disorders) may have programs that can help with your drug costs. Information on programs in your area is available on the Benefits Checkup website.

Look into Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs
Many of the major drug manufacturers are offering assistance programs for people enrolled in Medicare Part D.
You can find out whether a Patient Assistance Program is offered by the manufacturers of the drugs you take by visiting our Pharmaceutical Assistance Program site.

Look at State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs
There are also 21 states and one territory offering help with paying drug plan premiums and/or other drug costs.
You can find out if your State has a program by visiting our State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program site.

Apply for Extra Help
If you have Medicare and have limited income and resources, you may qualify for extra help paying for your prescription drugs. If you qualify, you could pay between $1-$5 for each drug.
Contact Social Security by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov or by calling 1-800-772-1213. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778

For additional information, you can review the Bridging the Coverage Gap (PDF 132.71 KB) fact sheet.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room: New Gene Linked to Alzheimer's

2007-01-16T14:34:00.000-05:00

The Alzheimer's Reading Room: New Gene Linked to Alzheimer's

The Alzheimer’s Reading Room

2007-01-11T23:14:00.000-05:00

Everything Alzheimer's Disease. This weblog is for Alzheimer's CareGivers, those touched by Alzheimer's, and those interested in learning more about Alzheimer's disease. The content on this weblog is wide ranging and includes: research, definitions, education, important articles, clinical trials, and content from other CareGiver Weblogs.

To visit the weblog follow this line The Alzheimer’s Reading Room

Medicare Rx: Stand Alone Drug Plans

2006-12-28T14:06:00.000-05:00

This report includes a list of the companies available in Florida. Also includes all features of the plans such as cost, coverage and convenience.

To view the PDF version of this report go to Medicare Rx: Stand Alone Prescription Drug Plans.

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The CareGiver: Alzheimer’s Disease--What is it?

2006-12-19T18:42:00.000-05:00

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of a condition called dementia. It is named for the German doctor who first described it, Alois Alzheimer. What is it? Who gets it? What causes it?

The desciption below was taking from the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center website. This is useful to clear up some of the misunderstanding about the Alzherimer' Disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease

What is it?

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of a condition called dementia. Dementia is a general decline in mental ability, such as memory, language skills, judgment, and concentration. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, which means symptoms occur gradually and become worse over time. It is named for the German doctor who first described it, Alois Alzheimer.

Who gets it?

Alzheimer’s disease affects most commonly affects those over the age of 65, although it has been diagnosed in people in their 40s and 50s.

What causes it?

The degeneration of parts of the brain, which destroys brain cells, causes the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. However, at this time researchers are not sure what causes this degeneration. Those with a family history of Alzheimer’s are more likely to develop the disease as they age, so there is a gene abnormality that causes the disease in some people. Researchers are looking for links between Alzheimer’s disease and the environment, lifestyle, nutrition, and viruses.

What are the symptoms?

Alzheimer’s usually progresses in three stages, with each lasting anywhere from one to several years. The first symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is usually mild forgetfulness. Someone in the early stages may find him or herself unable to find the right word, recall where something was placed, or recall someone’s name. It may be difficult to concentrate. At this point, symptoms are so general that they do not signal a serious problem or have a great impact on day-to-day functioning. As the disease progresses to the second stage, the forgetfulness becomes worse, making it difficult to function at work, remember directions, or to even make it through the day without difficulty. The person may be restless and unable to sleep at night. His or her personality may change considerably, with increasing anxiety and decreasing emotions. By the late stages of Alzheimer’s, patients suffer from extreme confusion and memory loss. They are unable to recall the names of close friends and family or recent events, and cannot function socially or perform basic daily personal care. Late-stage Alzheimer’s patients may have hallucinations and delusions.

How is it diagnosed?

Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed by taking a complete medical history and performing a thorough physical examination. Alzheimer’s is generally suspected when there is a gradual deterioration in mental ability. The doctor will perform tests, such as blood tests and brain scans, to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms. The doctor will also ask the patient a series of questions to test his or her mental status. One type of test of mental status is called neuropsychological testing, which is a standardized test of memory, concentration, and visual-spatial skills. Because a definite diagnosis can only be made by performing an autopsy after death, patients are diagnosed with “probable” Alzheimer’s. An autopsy of brain tissue, however, will show areas of abnormal tissue, called plaques, made up of abnormal proteins; a loss of nerve cells; and areas of tangles in the nerve cells that remain in patient’s with Alzheimer’s disease.

What is the treatment?

At this time, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Treatment focuses on maintaining the best possible quality of life for the patient by providing a supportive environment. Memory aids, such as calendars and other daily reminders of time and place, can help the patient feel more secure and reduce confusion. There are some medications that, when used in the early stages of this disease, can slow memory loss in some patients for a limited amount of time. However, these drugs are used with caution because of potential side effects. Other drugs may be prescribed to treat anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, and hallucinations, as necessary. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, it is important to help the patient maintain as much independence as possible. As the disease progresses, it may be necessary to seek the help of a home healthcare aid, an adult daycare, or nursing home. While there is currently no treatment to prevent or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s, researchers are continuing to study this disease and test new drugs. There is a possibility that certain types of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Self-care tips
A diagnosis of probable Alzheimer’s is devastating for someone who has been accustomed to living an independent life. It is important to provide the patient with emotional and physical support as he or she adjusts to living with this disease. Keeping the daily routine consistent and as stress free as possible is helpful. Because depression is so common in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, you should be aware of the signs of depression and seek help for the patient as soon as possible. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s can be demanding and discouraging, especially when the loved one does not remember who you are. Your doctor or local social services agency can direct you to support services to help make this time a little easier. Also seek legal advice so it is clear who has the power to make medical and financial decisions once your loved one is no longer able to do this for him or herself. If you have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, see your doctor for regular checkups. An early diagnosis is important, especially as the medical community learns more about this disease and its treatment. While there is no way to prevent this disease, you can lower your risk and protect yourself from many illnesses by following a healthy diet that is high in fiber and antioxidants and low in saturated fat, and participating in regular physical exercise. Performing activities that stimulate your brain on a regular basis, such as crossword puzzles, word searches, or memory games, may also help maintain mental ability longer.
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This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice.

The CareGiver Blog

Robert T DeMarco

AllAmerican Senior Care

AllAmerican Senior Care Weblog

Senior Care Elder Care CareGiver Alzheimer’s Dementia CareGiver

Health and wellness Weblog

Robert T DeMarco

2006-12-18T13:54:00.000-05:00

You can read all my blogs at the Robert T DeMarco Weblog. Just click on my name in the subject box above to visit that website.

Bob DeMarco

The CareGiver: Dementia

2006-11-28T23:16:00.000-05:00

I ran across this factsheet on
Dementia from the Milton S Hershey Medical Center. The section entitled, What are the Symptoms, is particularly interesting.

Source Milton S Hershey Medical Center

Dementia

What is it?

Dementia is the gradual deterioration of mental functioning, such as concentration, memory, and judgment, which affects a person’s ability to perform normal daily activities.

Who gets it?

Dementia occurs primarily in people who are over the age of 65, or in those with an injury or disease that affects brain function. While dementia is most commonly seen in the elderly, it is not a normal consequence of the aging process.

What causes it?

Dementia is caused by the death of brain cells. Brain cells can be destroyed by brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, or strokes (called vascular or multi-infarct dementia), which decrease blood flow to the brain. Lewy body dementia is another common cause attributed to changes in brain tissue. Other causes can include AIDS, high fever, dehydration, hydrocephalus, systemic lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease, long-term drug or alcohol abuse, vitamin deficiencies/poor nutrition, hypothyroidism or hypercalcemia, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, or diseases such as Pick’s, Parkinson's, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, or Huntington's. Dementia can also result from a head injury that causes hemorrhaging in the brain or a reaction to a medication.

What are the symptoms?

In most cases, the symptoms of dementia occur gradually, over a period of years. Symptoms of dementia caused by injury or stroke occur more abruptly. Difficulties often begin with memory, progressing from simple forgetfulness to the inability to remember directions, recent events, and familiar faces and names. Other symptoms include difficulty with spoken communication, personality changes, problems with abstract thinking, poor personal hygiene, trouble sleeping, and poor judgment and decision making. Dementia is extremely frustrating for the patient, especially in the early stages when he or she is aware of the deficiencies it causes. People with dementia are likely to lash out at those around them, either out of frustration or because their difficulty with understanding makes them misinterpret the actions of others. They become extremely confused and anxious when in unfamiliar surroundings or with any change in routine. They may begin a task, such as cooking, then wander away aimlessly and completely forget what they had been doing. Dementia is often accompanied by depression and delirium, which is characterized by an inability to pay attention, fluctuating consciousness, hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions. People in advanced stages of dementia lose all control of bodily functions and are completely dependent upon others.

How is it diagnosed?

Dementia is diagnosed through a study of the patient’s medical history and a complete physical and neurological exam. The doctor will speak with those close to the patient to document a pattern of behavior. He or she will also evaluate the patient’s mental functioning with tests of mental status, such as those that require the patient to recall words, lists of objects, names of objects, and recent events. Diagnostic tests, such as blood tests, x-rays, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), or computed tomography (CT) scans, can help determine the cause of the dementia.

What is the treatment?

In some instances, treating the cause of dementia may successfully reverse some or all of the symptoms. This is the case when the cause is related to a vitamin/nutritional deficiency, tumor, alcohol or drug abuse, reaction to a medication, or hormonal disorder. When dementia is related to an irreversible destruction of brain tissue, such as with Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, or multiple strokes, treatment involves improving the patient’s quality of life as much as possible. This includes maintaining a stable, safe, supportive environment and providing constant supervision. While this may be done in the home, people in the advanced stages of dementia may require round-the-clock care in a long-term healthcare facility. It is important to provide the patient with structured activities and avoid disruptions to his or her daily routine. Many patients enjoy therapeutic activities, such as crafts or games, designed specifically for people with dementia. Some medications, such as donepezil and tacrine, have been effective in improving the mental functions of those in the beginning stages of dementia. Patients with hallucinations and delusions may also be treated with antipsychotic drugs, while antidepressant medications are used to treat depression.

Self-care tips

There is currently no known way to prevent dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease. You can decrease your risk of dementia associated with stroke by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, following a heart-healthy diet, and controlling high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Healthy lifestyles, including not smoking and not abusing drugs and alcohol, go a long way in keeping most people in good health. Caring for a person with dementia is stressful. It is important to learn all you can about the disease, seek the help of support groups, and find a responsible caregiver who can give you a break when needed. There are daycare programs specifically designed for patients with dementia that are good for the patient and the family.

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This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice.

The CareGiver Blog

Robert T DeMarco

AllAmerican Senior Care

AllAmerican Senior Care Weblog

The CareGiver: Americans Fear Alzheimer’s

2006-11-27T12:40:00.000-05:00

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