Alzheimer’s disease is complicated and extremely difficult for families and caregivers to endure while they watch their loved ones go through its heart-wrenching effects. But strides are being made, two specifically, that are bringing researchers hope that soon there will be a treatment on the market to halt the progression of deterioration in those with mild symptoms.

Two treatments could slow Alzheimer’s effects

In July, it was announced by experts at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2012 that the first long-term treatment to slow the effects of the disease, Gammagard, is showing progress. Then, in August, it was announced that another treatment, developed by Eli Lilly and Co., is showing promising signs to slow cognitive decline in patients.

An estimated 5.5 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease, an incurable disease characterized by deterioration of brain cells and dementia. Those with the disease experience diminished memory — both short- and long-term — and slowly lose recognition of everyday people and things.

Strides in research bring hope

According to USA Today, research by the Washington University School of Medicine indicates that Alzheimer’s disease starts changing the brain 25 years before someone even begins showing symptoms. The research, published in July in The New England Journal of Medicine, sheds light on the treatments being tested in trials throughout the country.

One of the treatments being tested, Gammagard, is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat other diseases. The treatment is being tested by Alzheimer’s disease patients and while the studies have not shown any improvement in most of the disease’s symptoms, the important part that USA Today notes is patients did not show any further decline in cognition, memory, mood or daily functioning.

Currently, no treatments stop the brain cell deterioration from the disease.

Another treatment being tested by Eli Lilly and Co. is the first drug in its class that shows positive results in people with Alzheimer’s, according to USA Today. The results indicate the treatment targets proteins in the brain and makes changes that stop or slow the progression of the disease from more debilitating stages.

American House cares

Hopefully, the next decade will bring a treatment that will stop the steady decline of the effects of Alzheimer’s. To help, 30 percent of our sponsorship money through the American House Foundation will go directly toward researching age-related issues, such as Alzheimer’s. At American House, we care about our residents and their loved ones and we strive to bring you the most up-to-date information on research. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask us.

As you sip your morning orange juice, there’s a surprising indicator on breakfast table that could indicate how well you’re preparing yourself for a long and healthy life.

No, it’s not the actual orange juice — although one of the keys to living a long and healthy life is good nutrition, which includes having a healthy breakfast each morning. And it’s not necessarily the food you’re eating, either.

Take a close look at the glass holding the orange juice. How would you describe it? We don’t mean is the glass tall or short or colored or clear. We’re interested in how you view the orange juice in the glass. It’s the age-old question: Do you view the glass as half-full or half-empty?

We all know leading a healthy lifestyle full of nutritious foods, physical activity and regular doctor check-ups contributes greatly to how long we’ll live. But did you know your outlook on life has a big impact as well?

According to information from Harvard Medical School, optimism is linked to longevity. A U.S. study of nearly 7,000 students who took comprehensive personality tests in the mid-1960s determined that, in the next 40 years of tracking those individuals, the most pessimistic people had a 42 percent higher rate of death than the most optimistic people.

Another study, in Holland, evaluated 941 senior citizens between the ages of 65 and 85. The optimistic folks had a 45 percent lower risk of death during a nine-year follow-up period.

If a smile and a positive thought helped you lead a happier, healthier and longer life, wouldn’t you try to smile more? At American House Senior Living Communities, we give our residents plenty of reasons to smile and be positive — from bringing in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra {{link to other blog post}} to offering beauty salons on site and so much more. We have many varied social activities to ensure you’re always looking at the glass as half-full. Give us a call and schedule a tour today and we’ll leave you smiling all day long.

10 Tips for a Longer Life~

1. Incorporate physical fitness, good nutrition and emotionally-satisfying relationships into your life.
2. Have a purpose in life. Seek valued roles as you age (on average, those who moved to active retirement communities lived longer than expected).
3. Seek active learning opportunities to challenge your mind.
4. Nurture positive, supportive relationships and find ways to stay connected to others.
5. Embrace resilience during life’s transitions. Use humor to aid adaptation in age-related challenges.
6. Don’t smoke or drink in excess.
7. Avoid sitting or being sedentary for extended periods of time throughout the day.
8. Regularly eat seven or more vegetables and fruits per day.
9. Avoid gaining substantial unnecessary weight.
10. Wear your seatbelt and don’t engage in high-risk behaviors like reckless or drunk driving.

(~10 tips courtesy of Peter A. Lichtenberg, Ph.D., ABPP Director, Institute of Gerontology Director, Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute Professor of Psychology and Tom Rifai MD Medical Director, Metabolic Nutrition & Weight Management Course Director, Harvard Medical School – online Lifestyle Medicine CME for Metabolic Syndrome Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Wayne State University)