Category Archives: dementia

The tablets with no side effects

April 24, 2014   Carers, dementia, Social care

Tablet computers such as iPads improve the quality of life for dementia sufferers – but many care homes still lack the internet

 

Jeannette Williams creates virtual pottery on her iPad 

By Ruth Wood

7:03AM BST 24 Apr 2014

Shortly after moving into a dementia care home last year, Jeannette Williams made a remarkable discovery: the iPad. At the age of 74, she had lost her husband, her home and much of her freedom, but the touch-screen tablet has given her a new lease of life. Instead of being stuck in front of the television, she can now read news, play games, listen to music and watch videos. Best of all, it has rekindled her passion for pottery.

“I like making pots. They had a potter’s wheel at my art college,” said Mrs Williams, who was diagnosed with dementia at the end of 2010 and moved into care last April. Her room is decorated with printouts of the virtual vases she has made with the Let’s Create Pottery app.

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Elderly who lose interest in pastimes could be at risk of Alzheimer's Disease

April 17, 2014   Alzheimer’s, Carers, dementia, Older care

Apathy towards hobbies in old age could be a sign of dementia, scientists warn

 

A study showed elderly people who are apathetic but not suffering depression have shrinking amounts of grey and white matter

By Agencies

6:06AM BST 17 Apr 2014

Losing interest in hobbies and other activities in older age could be an early sign of dementia, according to scientists.

Apathy in older people suggests a loss of grey matter and offers doctors a new tool with which to identify a group of the population at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

A study showed elderly people who are apathetic but not suffering depression have shrinking amounts of grey and white matter – neurons in the brain that control memory and communication respectively.

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Suffolk: Dementia patients need better access to services

April 4, 2014   Alzheimer’s, Carers, dementia

Suffolk: Dementia patients need better access to services and doctors need better resources to give advice – report

Official launch of the Forget-Me-Not Dementia Campaign at West Suffolk Hospital. Image of the corridor before work begins. Official launch of the Forget-Me-Not Dementia Campaign at West Suffolk Hospital. Image of the corridor before work begins.

Friday, April 4, 2014
12:04 PM

People living with dementia in Suffolk need better access to support services, a report has claimed, after it emerged more than 5,000 sufferers live with the condition undiagnosed.

Doctors need better resources to provide good advice to newly-diagnosed dementia patients and double their current detection rate of the disease to meet new tougher government targets, the University of East Anglia (UEA) said.

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