Our social and scientific communities alike have been drastically uprooted since the novel coronavirus impacted the world last December. This article tackles questions regarding COIVD’s effects on the brain, cognition (thinking clarity), and general life functioning related to contracting the coronavirus, as well as discussing the road to recovery (read time: 10 mins)
Luckily CNN just posted a nice illustrated article explaining a good part of how love occurs in our brain. Check it out, and don’t worry, it maintains a bit of mystery.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/14/health/brain-on-love-wellness/index.html
It is confusing for all of us. To learn a little more, see this article by Dr. Duff from our practice
So, it’s coming upon that time of year, when we are all supposed to be happy, relaxed, and of good cheer. There are a lot of wonderful things about the holidays, but there are also a lot of challenges. Now think about being a caregiver during the holidays to someone with impaired thinking, like someone with a brain injury or dementia. So let’s discuss how to keep the holidays workable and fun…
Holidays are here and you will be seeing family you may not see that often. Dr. Duff from our practice has written a useful article on what to look out for in your loved ones when you visit.
Dementia is a frightening word. But what does it actually mean? What is the difference between dementia and simply getting old? It can be easy to become overwhelmed by jargon the doctor throws at you, and sometimes it feels easier to pretend nothing is happening.
Wouldn't it be less stressful if you had a roadmap to take you through the process of telling the difference between normal aging and dementia, working with medical providers, and coping with the diagnosis?
-Jim Moens, Author and Caregiver
Dr. Lande and FBI Victim Specialist Debbie Deem
As part of my practice I consult with and provide training to various law enforcement groups on elder abuse. Last week I provided a training for the FBI. One of the main topics I cover is victimization of seniors by mass market scams.
We have all received such solicitations. A computer phone call stating that we owe the IRS, or an email from a member of the Nigerian government who needs help smuggling money out of the country and knows that you would be the perfect person to assist, or perhaps that too good to true connection on a dating website who just never quite seems available to meet in person.
These scams work by convincing us to use emotional reasoning, rather than logical reasoning. They use visceral motivations like fear and greed, along with a sense of authority, to get us to respond. And they require urgency, so that we don’t have time to think about what we are doing.
Unfortunately, older adults are a prime target due to factors such as greater wealth concentration, loneliness, and some of the cognitive processing changes that occur as we age. Scams are a difficult crime to stop as they are cheap and easy to do, and are often based out of the country, making it hard for law enforcement to intervene.
Luckily, as you can read about in this story, Federal authorities were recently able to stop a large romance scam targeting women around the world, but with at least some of the perpetrators based in the US.
Education and awareness is often one of the best ways to prevent yourself and your loved ones from falling victim. Remember, if anyone is demanding an immediate payment, especially with any type of gift card, it is probably a scam.
Remember, you can contact law enforcement if victimized by these scams and it is important to report them. A good place to report them is the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Sometimes, if you are quick enough it is even possible to get your or your loved one’s money back.
Want to talk about these issues in person? Please feel free to reach out to us at Insightneuropsych.com.
We are excited to announce that we have started a YOUTUBE page to provide videos on different subjects. Over the years attendees at our trainings have asked for videos of talks, and we were finally able to set it up.
We hope you enjoy. Feel free to comment or ask for videos any any particular topic. Here is the link.
People often don’t consider the significant effects their medications can have on thinking skills. This study discusses how some common medications, when used by older adults for three years, seem linked to a 50% increased chance of developing dementia (major neurocognitive impairment). For more on the study, click here.
Always make sure you discuss your medications with your physician.
A large new study out from Korea found that people with atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) are at increased risk for dementia (major neurocognitive disorder). Atrial fibrillation does place people at risk of stroke, but this study found increased risk even for those who don’t suffer a stroke. There is a 50% increased risk of dementia.
This does make sense as we know that cerebrovascular disease worsens dementia. They have even coined a term, mixed dementia, to describe people experiencing conditions like Alzheimer’s disease along with cerebrovascular disease. Key point here to remember that getting appropriate vascular care matters and things like cardiovascular exercise and a healthy diet really do matter.
If you would like to read more of the article, here is the link…
