The Statistics Are Staggering
Alzheimer’s Disease
The average 65-year-old person is expected to live to 85 years of age or older. So it won’t be long before the baby boomers enter what’s been called the “Grey Tsunami”. Statistics Canada reports there were 3.9 million seniors in 2001 which will increase to 6.7 million in 2021. And after age 80 one in four will develop Alzheimer’s Disease.
So what can be done to prepare for this grey tsunami? Some say that the answer is more institutional beds and increased home help for families to care for these patients.
Others say that studies show it’s ancient thinking to assume there’s no way to combat brain deterioration. For instance, the Alzheimer’s Society suggests promoting a healthier lifestyle. In effect, researchers say that the brain has more tiger in the tank than everyone believes. And that it’s possible by a combination of physical and mental activity to improve brain fitness.
It’s madness not to have one
Living Will
The W. Gifford-Jones Living Will
with Advanced Directive
Check your mental acuity
If you choose self-diagnosis
You have pain, bleeding, discharge, constipation, headache, and feeling tired. So you wonder the cause. Why not search the internet for advice? After all, millions of people do it. But how accurate will be the diagnosis?
A study published by the British Medical Journal focused on symptom checkers. Hosted by medical schools, insurance companies and government agencies, it found online programs provide the right diagnosis only about 50 percent of the time. Triage by nurses rated the same. But a general internet search was less accurate.
So the old advice remains true. “He who treats himself has a fool for a patient.” It’s much wiser to see your doctor.
Can anti-anxiety drugs cause
Dementia?
A report published in the British Medical Journal links anxiety medication such as Xanax, Valium and Ativan to an increase in dementia.
The study found that this group of drugs known as benzodiazepines, if used for three to six months, increased the risk of dementia by 32 percent. But, if they are taken for longer than six months, the risk increased by 84 percent.
This research provided only an “association”, not proof that the drugs were the direct cause of the disease. But never forget when dealing with prescription medicine: you never get something for nothing. There is always a price to pay.
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