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Dogs And Dementia

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While the use of dogs as guide dogs (“seeing-eye dogs”) began in the aftermath of World War I, the last 40 years has seen the extension of service dog training into such areas as:

More recently, the last several decades have seen the development of dementia-assist dogs. Like all other therapy dogs, these dogs provide companionship and friendship for their owner. Additionaly, various trainers teach dogs a range of different behaviors, such as:

  • Since dementia patients often become agitated, some dogs are trained to interrupt this behavior by distracting their owner, and thus help reduce the owner’s anxiety and help them refocus;
  • Walk on a leash with the owner. If the owner gives the command “Home”, the dog will lead the owner back home. The dog’s collar will have a GPS device, which will allow caregivers to locate the pair if they get lost, or if the dementia patient forgets to issue the “Home” command;
  • Fetch a patient’s medication;
  • Waking their owner up each morning;
  • Trigger an alarm in the house if the patient falls and does not get up within a reasonable amount of time, or if the dog hears a choking sound.

The breeds used most often for service dogs are Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Labrador/Golden Retriever crosses, and German Shepherds.

Here are links to several media articles about dementia-assist dogs:
The New Breed of Service Dog: Canine Caregivers for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Patients
Good Dogs: Dementia Service Dogs Provide Patients, Caregivers With Improved Quality of Life
Dementia Assistance Dogs
Assistance Dogs for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Patients

Here is one study of how use of a therapy dog can affect the quality of life of an Alzheimer’s sufferer:
Stepping out of the shadows of Alzheimer’s disease: a phenomenological hermeneutic study of older people with Alzheimer’s disease caring for a therapy dog

Here is a review of six studies (between 2016 – 2018) of the effectiveness of animal assisted therapy (AAT) with special focus on dog therapy among people with dementia, and in particular, Alzheimer’s disease:
Effectiveness of the dog therapy for patients with dementia – a systematic review

All links have been added to Alzheimers > Coping & Caregivers > Dementia Assist Dogs & Robot Pets

Category: Alzheimers/Dementia

Owning A Dog Might Extend Your Life

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Two recently published studies strongly suggest that owning a dog improves the odds of living longer.

The first study was a review and meta-analysis of ten studies over 70 years (1950 to 2019), involving nearly 4 million people in the United States, Canada, Scandinavia, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. This review showed that owning a dog was associated with a 24% reduction in mortality from all causes. For people who had already had a heart attack or stroke, the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease was reduced by 31%.

The second study, in Sweden, involving people of ages 40-85 who had heart attacks or ischemic strokes between 2001-2012. The study involved 182,000 people who had a heart attack (almost 6% were dog owners), and 155,000 people who had an ischemic stroke (almost 5% were dog owners). Compared to patients who did not own a dog:

  • For dog owners, the risk of death for heart attack patients living alone after hospitalization was 33% lower, and was 15% lower for those living with a partner or child.
  • For dog owners, the risk of death for stroke patients living alone after hospitalization was 27% lower and 12% lower for those living with a partner or child.


The media articles below discuss both research publications:
Owning a dog tied to lowering your risk of dying early by 24%, says science
Dog ownership associated with longer life, especially among heart attack and stroke survivors

Research publications:
Dog Ownership and Survival: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Dog Ownership and Survival After a Major Cardiovascular Event: A Register-Based Prospective Study

All links have been added to Aging

Category: Aging

New Coping and Caring Stories

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This week we present new articles on coping with dementia and caring for dementia sufferers. Here are two about coping:
Facing life with dementia and discovering a positive path
‘Why should I stop working just because I have dementia?’

Links to these articles have been added to Alzheimers > Coping & Caregivers > Coping Stories.

And here is one about caring:
‘Eventually I knew she was no longer safe alone’: how do we care for family with dementia?

This link has been added to Alzheimers > Coping & Caregivers > Caregivers.

Category: Caregivers & Coping

Hearing Loss and Dementia

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Most people can expect to deal with hearing loss in the course of normally long lives. 50% of people in their 70’s suffer from it, as do 80% of people in their 80’s. Unfortunately, besides being troublesome, it appears that hearing loss can have a direct causal effect on dementia, as well as other bad outcomes. (See the table in our post Nine Factors Contributing to Dementia — You Can Manage Them. Hearing loss, at 9%, is the largest factor.)

1,164 participants (average age 73.5) in a 24-year longitudinal study underwent assessments for hearing acuity and cognitive function between the years 1992 to 1996. All of them were followed for up to 24 years with up to five subsequent cognitive assessments at approximately four-year intervals. None used a hearing aid.

Almost half of the participants had mild hearing impairment, with almost 17% suffering moderate-to-severe hearing loss. Those with more serious hearing impairment showed worse cognitive performance at the initial visit. Hearing impairment was associated with greater decline in performance on cognitive tests over time, both for those with mild hearing impairment and those with more severe hearing impairment.

Here are two media articles on the work:
With age comes hearing loss and a greater risk of cognitive decline
How hearing impairment is associated with cognitive decline
Here is the abstract of the original research article:
Hearing impairment and cognitive decline in older, community-dwelling adults.

Similar conclusions arise from a study of 8 years of data from more than 10,000 men. The study compared the effects of hearing loss with measures of subjective cognitive decline, which is changes in memory and thinking that people notice in themselves.

The risk of subjective cognitive decline was 30 percent higher among men with mild hearing loss, compared with those with no hearing loss, while for men with moderate or severe hearing loss, the risk was between 42 and 54 percent higher.

Media article:
Hearing loss and cognitive decline: Study probes link
Research publication:
Longitudinal study of hearing loss and subjective cognitive function decline in men

In another study that covered over 154,000 adults 50 and older who had health insurance claims, but no evidence of hearing device use, researchers found that untreated hearing loss increased the risk of developing dementia by 50 percent and depression by 40 percent in just five years when compared to those without hearing loss. This study also demonstrated a clear association between untreated hearing loss and not only an increased risk of dementia and depression, but also falls and even cardiovascular diseases.

Here are three media articles on this study:
Hearing Loss Threatens Mind, Life and Limb
Higher risk of dementia and depression with an untreated hearing loss
Hearing Loss in Older Adults Linked to Depression, Dementia Among Other Comorbidities
Here is the original research publication:
Incident Hearing Loss and Comorbidity: A Longitudinal Administrative Claims Study

There is concrete evidence that using hearing aids can slow the rate of cognitive decline, as shown by two recent research studies.

Here is a review discussion of the first research publication on hearing aids:
Evidence that Hearing Aids Could Slow Cognitive Decline in Later Life
First research article:
Longitudinal Relationship Between Hearing Aid Use and Cognitive Function in Older Americans

Here are media articles about the second research publication on hearing aids:
Hearing aids linked to lower risk of dementia, depression and falls
Hearing aids lower the chance of dementia, depression, and falling
Second research article:
Can Hearing Aids Delay Time to Diagnosis of Dementia, Depression, or Falls in Older Adults?

Finally, we note a study, closely related to the “Administrative Claims Study” above, which shows that untreated hearing loss tends to lead to higher health care costs over time. (Users of hearing aids were not considered in the study, so, as yet, one cannot conclude that hearing aid use might lower costs, though that might be a reasonable inference.)

Media article:
Patients with untreated hearing loss incur higher health care costs over time
Research article:
Trends in Health Care Costs and Utilization Associated With Untreated Hearing Loss Over 10 Years

All links have been added to Aging and Alzheimers > Risk Factors

Category: Aging, Alzheimers/Dementia, Risk Factors

Visualization of Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials

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This image displays the massive amount of as-yet-not-successful effort which has gone into seeking understanding or cures or ameliorations of Alzheimer’s disease:


From: History and progress of hypotheses and clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease

This link has been added to Alzheimers > .

Category: Alzheimers/Dementia

Physical Activity And Dementia

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A study published early this year shows that there is an association between the level of a person’s physical activity (even light activity) and the level of cognitive ability, even if the person displays behavioral signs of Alzheimer’s or other dementia. While the study does not demonstrate a causal link, the known links between exercise and heart health make adding or maintaining physical movement a good bet for reducing the risk of, or diminishing the effects of, Alzheimer’s.

Here are four media articles on the work:
Activity sharpens even dementia-affected brains, report suggests
Daily Movement — Even Household Chores — May Boost Brain Health In Elderly
Study Links Moving More in Older Age to Sharper Memory
Dementia care: The one activity you need to do in old age proven to protect the brain
Research article:
Physical activity, common brain pathologies, and cognition in community-dwelling older adults

A man epitomizing using physical activity to fight Alzheimer’s:
Meet the man living with Alzheimer’s who climbs the same mountain every day

All links have been added to Health > Physical Exercise and Alzheimers > Amelioration/Prevention. The last link above has also been added to Alzheimers > Coping & Caregivers Coping Stories.

Category: Amelioration/Prevention, Physical Exercise

New Aging Resource Page

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We’ve added a new page of links under Aging:

Aging > Useful Sponsored Web Pages for Seniors

Links to web pages are sent to us regularly by various commercial organizations, particularly for our Aging page. Some are ok for Strong Brain Blog, some have absolutely nothing to do with this blog, and some show their commercial origin, but the level of advertising is restrained.

We’ll be adding any reasonable new ones that arrive. Here’s a snapshot of the page right now:

Staying Healthy in Your Home as You Age
Simple Changes to Make Your Home Safe for Aging in Place
Make Your Bathroom Safer with a Walk-In Tub
Accommodating the Needs of a Multigenerational Household
Grab Bars: Why and How to Install Them

The complete medication management guide for seniors

AboutAssistedLiving.org

Financial Assistance & Funding Options for Assisted Living / Senior Living

The Complete Guide to Home Modifications to Prevent Falls
Selling a Home with Modifications for Older Adults
Falls an Early Sign of Alzheimer’s
Fall Prevention & Mobility: Practical Safety and Organization Strategies for Seniors
Preventing Falls for a Person with Dementia
Senior Fall Prevention: A Roadmap for Navigating Resources and Benefits

Best Medical Alert Systems – 2019

Sleep Help for Seniors

Category: Aging, Announcements

Catch Up II: Weight Training, A Wedding, History, COPD.

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Here we continue Catch Up I: Dementia Signs, Microbiome & Brain, Processed Foods & More, setting out four brief posts concerning links which either bring up to date earlier posts on Strong Brain, or which are simply of interest in and of themselves.

☞ Weight Training & Brain Health

Add weight training to the list of types of exercise benefitting body and brain (even if the study deals with rats): Serious Exercise May Seriously Defer Aging.

Media articles:
How Weight Training Changes the Brain
Weight Training – Good for the Brain Too?
Research publication:
Resistance-exercise training ameliorates LPS-induced cognitive impairment concurrent with molecular signaling changes in the rat dentate gyrus

Category: Exercise, Aging

☞Another Bittersweet Wedding.

So sad, yet so sweet: A man descends into dementia, forgets he is married to his wife — who is his caregiver, and who he deeply loves — and pesters her to marry him. Which she does, again:
After Countless Proposals, She Finally Said Yes. Again.

See Coping & Caregiving: Bittersweet Stories for more such stories.
Category: Coping & Caregivers > Coping Stories

☞ History of Alzheimer’s

The History of Alzheimer’s Disease

Category: Alzheimers > General & Resources > General

☞ COPD and Your Brain

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cuts down on the amount of oxygen supplied by your lungs to all parts of your body, including your brain. It is linked to a higher risk for memory and cognitive problems with older adults with COPD having nearly twice the risk for memory problems:
How COPD Affects Your Brain

Category: Risk Factors

Each group of links has been added to the indicated categories.

Category: Aging, Alzheimers/Dementia, Caregivers & Coping, Physical Exercise, Risk Factors

Catch Up I: Dementia Signs, Microbiome & Brain, Processed Foods & More

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Here we set out five brief posts concerning links which either bring up to date earlier posts on Strong Brain, or which are simply of interest in and of themselves.

☞ Signs: Onset of Dementia

Our recent post Distilled: Signs of the Onset of Dementia listed 18 possible signs of the onset of dementia. The excellent article Recognizing Alzheimer’s Disease adds to that by providing a discussion of early warning signs and a view of diagnosis.

Category: Diagnosis & Tests

☞ Microbiome & Brain

Quite recently, it has become apparent that the microbiome (all the microbes resident in an organism) can affect the brain, including the amount of amyloid beta clumps and exhibition of autistic behaviors. Much of the work has been done with mice (surprise!), but some also on humans. This is a quite interesting article on these investigations:
Germs in Your Gut Are Talking to Your Brain. Scientists Want to Know What They’re Saying.

Category: Neuro-Psych

☞ More on Processed Foods

Recently we published a somewhat lengthy post Best To Avoid Over-Processed Foods. The article below adds to that post:
What’s so bad about processed foods? Scientists offer clues.

Category: Diet

☞ Cancer Treatment and Dementia

A very large U.S. study of prostate cancer patients in their 70’s demonstrates a notable increased risk of Alzheimer’s among patients who received Androgen Deprivation Therapy.
Dementia tied to hormone-blocking prostate cancer treatment
Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer Tied to Dementia
Original research:
Association Between Androgen Deprivation Therapy Use and Diagnosis of Dementia in Men With Prostate Cancer

Category: Risk Factors

☞ Dementia Screening During Wellness Exams

The article Alzheimer’s Screenings Often Left Out Of Seniors’ Wellness Exams discusses the situation vis-a-vie dementia screening during annual wellness exams for seniors. The number of seniors experiencing them, and the number of physicians administering them, are relatively low, for a variety of reasons discussed in the article. Most likely, large-scale routine screening won’t be happening until a moderately inexpensive blood test is widely available.

Category: Diagnosis & Tests

Each group of links has been added to the indicated category.

Category: Alzheimers/Dementia, Diagnosis & Tests, Diet, Neuro-Psych, Risk Factors

High Blood Pressure And Dementia

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The link between high blood pressure and dementia has been known for some time. Two recent research reports reinforce this existing knowledge.

One study set out to determine the effects of intensively lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 120 mm Hg on the heart, kidney, and brain in hypertensive older adults who did not have diabetes or stroke; the present report deals with a sub-study focused on brain health, and showed that aggressive treatment of hypertension to less than 120 mm Hg systolic blood pressure is not harmful to the brain, but beneficial.

The second study examined how blood pressure changes/patterns related to dementia risk over time. It was shown that the patterns consisting of midlife and late-life hypertension, and midlife hypertension and late-life hypotension, significantly increased risk of subsequent dementia as compared with people with normal blood pressure.

Here are three media articles about the reports:
Controlling blood pressure may help ward off dementia
Abnormal blood pressure in middle and late life influences dementia risk
Studies Tackle Blood Pressure, Cognition Relationship

Original research articles:
Association of Midlife to Late-Life Blood Pressure Patterns With Incident Dementia
Association of Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control With Cerebral White Matter Lesions

Inspired by these reports, here is an article about lowering blood pressure:
Tips for lowering your blood pressure, which may reduce your risk of dementia

All links have been added to Alzheimer’s > Risk Factors.

Category: Alzheimers/Dementia, Risk Factors
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