dementia | Millennium Memory Care

6 Tips for Living with Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted on March 12, 2019March 24, 2019 by Michael Barry

Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be stressful and scary. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, meaning it cannot be reversed or cured. However, some medications available today can help alleviate symptoms for some patients in earlier stages of the disease. Understanding what to expect can help individuals adjust to living with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s News Today offers the follo...
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Can Speaking a Second Language Protect Against Alzheimer’s?

Posted on March 1, 2019March 4, 2019 by Michael Barry

A recent study, “The impact of bilingualism on brain reserve and metabolic connectivity in Alzheimer’s dementia,” which appeared in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that speaking more than one language may protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease. In the study, bilingual subjects performed significantly better on memory tests than their single-language peer...
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Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Music

Posted on February 19, 2019February 20, 2019 by Michael Barry

Music is an important part of our lives. We often associate certain sounds and music with significant events or personal milestones. A familiar piece of music can evoke vivid recollections and strong emotions. Music can make us feel euphoric, thoughtful or even melancholy. We are, in fact, highly musical beings. The auditory system in our brains is the first to fully function. Music and sounds ...
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Alzheimer’s May Reduce Ability to Perceive Pain

Posted on February 13, 2019February 13, 2019 by Michael Barry

Researchers at Vanderbilt University recently reported in BMC Medicine that individuals with Alzheimer’s disease exhibited a reduced ability to detect and recognize pain. The three-year study at Vanderbilt examined two groups of adults aged 65 and older: one group diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and a second group with no signs of Alzheimer’s. Participants were asked to report pain levels re...
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Millennium Memory Care Celebrates 5th Anniversary

Posted on October 24, 2018October 24, 2018 by Michael Barry

In November of 2013, Millennium Memory Care (MMC) began construction of a new memory care residence in Monroe, New Jersey for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Now the business has grown to include 3 additional locations and the management is pleased to be celebrating the company’s 5th anniversary. Since inception, MMC had a decidedly different approach to memory care. The Monroe location op...
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Challenges with Challenging Behaviors

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Michael Barry

Dementia care is becoming ever more needed in an increasing variety of settings including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, boarding homes, rehab centers and of course, in the homes of friends and neighbors. It is crucial to understand what the best care setting is for someone with behavioral dementia. In my support groups, I frequently meet caregivers who ask this very question. Many ...
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Psychiatric Care or the Right Care?

Posted on October 3, 2018October 3, 2018 by Michael Barry

Shot of a young doctor comforting a sad senior man in a nursing house

In my 25 years of practice with geriatric populations suffering from dementia, I have learned that patience, proper timing of medications, close observation of immediate needs and an individualized approach are the keys to success in managing difficult cases of dementia. Families often ask me how we can manage 16 residents in one home, especially with so many having advanced dementia and exhibitin...
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Social engagement may help slow dementia

Posted on August 15, 2018August 15, 2018 by Michael Barry

According to new research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, public engagement and civic activity helps the memory center in aging brains maintain its size and in some cases even grow larger. This new research recently appeared in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association and was drawn from a study of a Baltimore based program that matches...
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Lifestyle, Positivity & Alzheimer’s

Posted on August 1, 2018 by Michael Barry

Studies, opinions and conjecture about causes and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease are hardly in short supply. It seems that every week, there is suspicion of a new contributing cause to the increasing rates of Alzheimer’s and dementia. In the last several years, everything from processed foods to genetics has been named as contributing factors, yet there is very little information that is conclu...
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Dementia and Sleep Issues

Posted on July 19, 2018 by Michael Barry

Sleep problems are often experienced by people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. It is not entirely clear why this is such a common issue with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, but scientists believe that, along with memory and behavior changes, the impact of Alzheimer's on the brain can also affect sleep. This may result in less time in deep sleep and more time awake at night. Additional diff...
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