Chicago Home Care

Margalit Tocher

British and Finnish researchers have recently discovered that the more education one has, the more one’s risk of developing dementia decreases. According to Hanna Keage from Cambridge University, “More education is not associated with any differences in the damage to the brain, but people with higher education can cope with that damage better.” Keage believes that this may be due to psychological strength gained through better education, which might help people think of ways around their problems raised by dementia. These findings are incredibly important for America, due to the increasing number of dementia and Alzheimer’s patients in the U.S., and the growing cost of taking care of those patients. According to Keage, if dementia could be delayed by two years for Americans over age 50, “there would be nearly two million fewer cases of dementia over the next 40 years,” which would greatly cut the cost of care for these people.

If you are a caregiver for a family member or loved one in the Chicago North Shore area, an outside caregiver may be an excellent option for relief to ensure you also have some time for yourself. Home Care Assistance Chicago certified caregivers are available 24/7 to provide experienced, trustworthy caregivers to help with all your home care needs: transportation, healthy meal preparation, companionship, socialization, activities,  personal care, medication reminders, and specific Alzheimer’s and dementia care services. Located North of Chicago in Kenilworth (430 Green Bay Road, Kenilworth, IL 60043,) we serve Chicago and all of the North Shore, including Kenilworth, Winnetka, Wilmette, Glencoe, Evanston, Highland Park, Northbrook, Northfield, Deerfield, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Buffalo Grove, Glenview, and more!

Call 847-853-7777 or visit www.HomeCareAssistance.com

Margalit Tocher

Monday, July 11th, the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease took place in Honolulu, Hawaii.   Many new studies and research were presented, but the most interesting findings were the role that race and culture play in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Several professors at the University of California, San Francisco, conducted a study that examined the relationship between dementia and nursing home placement and mortality. The study found that many of the African American and Latino participants that were not placed in nursing homes lived longer than most of the white participants. This study suggested that in-home care might be more culturally appropriate for African American and Latino elders.

This study also explored the different ways in which varying cultures deal with death and the patterns in which these cultures seek help for dementia in their elders. While white families were found to seek elder care about two years after noticing dementia signs, American Indians and African Americans tended to wait about five or six years to seek help. R. Scott Turner, Director of the Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown University Medical Center, believes that the culture differences affecting the treatment of Alzheimer’s are very important due to our country’s changing demographics.