Staying healthy is more than just nutrition and exercise

Staying healthy and living longer doesn’t just mean eating healthy and staying fit. Dr. Howard Frumkin, the Dean of Public Health at the University of Washington, suggests we should create healthier communities to help people stay as self-sufficient as possible.


Everything from housing and parks to transportation systems can be altered to promote a healthier lifestyle. Frumkin explains that by helping the growing elderly population stay healthy, it will positively affect everyone in the community.

Research in Japan showed that the death rate amongst the elderly was significantly lower in neighborhoods with parks, tree-lined streets and green spaces. Similar research in Indiana found that the greener the neighborhood, the slower the weight gain in children who lived there.

Public transportation systems can also be changed, giving the elderly other alternatives when driving is not an option anymore. Decreasing traffic congestion is an obvious advantage to public transportation as well as the health of the entire community.

These factors need to be applied when planning for our future. Considering that almost one-third of the population will be over the age of 55 by the year 2050 (aarp.com), it is imperative that public health management is put into place in all of our communities.

By Dr. Kathy Johnson
From Home Care Blog

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Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon), Hamilton, Toronto, York Region, and surrounding areas.

Interview with Alzheimer's Society of Canada

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Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon), Hamilton, Toronto, York Region, and surrounding areas.

Researchers identify dementia gene

Researchers in Vancouver have identified the gene that destroys brain cells in people with Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and usually affects people over age 60. More than 238,000 Canadians are believed to suffer from Alzheimer's. By 2031 that and other forms of dementia are expected to affect about 750,000. The study was completed by researchers at UBC and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.

"It will likely take years to find a therapy or drug that could block the spread of the disease and that's our next target," said Dr. Weihong Song, Canada Research Chair in Alzheimer's disease at the University of B.C.


The team found that the excessive production of a protein called Regulator of Calcineurin 1 sets in motion a chain reaction that kills neurons in the hippocampus and cortex regions of the brains of people with Down syndrome and Alzheimer's.

"Neuron death is the primary reason for the memory loss and cognitive impairments of Alzheimer's disease and it's the main reason people with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer's disease long before most people, usually in their 30s," said Song.


Down syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality that impairs cognitive ability and physical growth. About one in 800 Canadian babies are born with it, according to the Canadian Down Syndrome Society.

Source: Montreal Gazette

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Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon), Hamilton, Toronto, York Region, and surrounding areas.

Dan Buettner: How to live to 100

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Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon), Hamilton, Toronto, York Region, and surrounding areas.

Caregiver interventions crucial in treating Alzheimer's and dementia

With a new year, comes new innovations in the healthcare industry. The New York Times reports that recent research is stressing the importance of caregiving to those with Alzheimer’s. With no effective treatment for Alzheimer’s, dementia therapy comes from caregiving performed by families, or at nursing homes.

“There’s actually better evidence and more significant results in caregiver interventions than there is in anything to treat this disease so far” -- Lisa P. Gwyther, education director for the Bryan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Duke University.

Research suggests that creating positive emotional experiences for Alzheimer’s patients reduces distress and behavior problems. Emotions exist even after cognition deteriorates, so changing things like food, art, exercise, or the aesthetics of a room can generate positive emotions. The Journal of the American Medical Association found that brightening lights in dementia facilities decreased depression and cognitive deterioration.

Additionally, the research is stressing the importance of a caregiver’s emotional state, so much that agencies are developing programs to provide caregivers with education and emotional support. This type of support is not only beneficial to the caregivers themselves, but to their patients as well.

Home Care Assistance similarly stresses the importance of emotional support to both the patient and the caregiver. This type of innovative research is an exciting start to 2011. Hopefully we will continue to see even greater breakthroughs in the treatment of those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.


By Dr. Kathy Johnson



Source: Home Care Blog

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Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon) and Hamilton.

January is Alzheimer's Awareness Month

Since it is Alzheimer's awareness month, Canadians should take time to reflect how much they really know about Alzheimer's and how they can take steps to prevent the disease. This year, the first wave of baby boomers turns 65 in Canada and the risk of dementia doubles every five years after that. To spread awareness, Alzheimer's Canada has created a test of knowledge for Canadians that we should all try at some point this month. If you want to participate in Alzheimer's awareness month in other ways you can wear purple or purchase any purple paraphrenalia such as ribbons and wristbands.

See Alzheimer Society of Canada

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Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon) and Hamilton.