The past is alive in the unlikeliest of places. Nestled inside a 20,000-sqft light industrial building in the heart of Chula Vista, Calif., Glenner Town Square harkens back to a different era: 1950s San Diego to be exact. Conceived as an immersive experience for seniors in their 80s, Glenner Town Square is at the forefront of what’s being called Reminiscence Therapy. The hope is that by surrounding seniors with familiar touchstones, like a 1959 T-bird or black and white film, those suffering from dementia will be able to capitalize on their remaining cognitive function to interact with the outside world. “If you can create an environment that’s designed in a way that captures that part of their life and those memories that are still intact and strong, they can function in a way that’s competent,” explains Dr. Daniel D Sewell, Director, Senior Behavioral Health, UCSD in a video about the project. “They can be comfortable and feel good about themselves because it plays to the individual’s strengths.” A Multiplicity of Places Reminiscence Therapy (RT) focuses on creating an immersive environment for patients using “tangible props” from their past to help them preserve cognitive function and improve their quality of life. At Glenner Town Square, everything from building facades to the interiors is designed to invoke a past that, to many suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia, feels much more real than the present. By creating a safe and familiar environment for patients, the creators of Glenner Town Square hope to provide a sense of comfort, peace and continued vitality for patients. In addition to the 8,500-sqft village – that includes buildings based on the city of San Diego from 1953 to 1961 –  Glenner Town Square will include a working cinema, a 50’s-style diner, a...

This fall, aboard Holland America’s MS Eurdam, caregivers and seniors suffering from dementia and their families will set sail to cruise the Alaskan coastline while learn moreing about the disease. The brainchild of Lisa Maria Chirico, CEO founder of Nursinghomeology, the event is designed to “inspire and empower caregivers and their families.” First-Hand Experienc Chirico herself is no stranger to the challenges facing caregivers and family members, having had to care for her father who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Kathy Shoaf, RN, BSN, ATP and the owner of Elite Cruises and Vacations, will be co-hosting the event with Chirico. Shoaf has 25 years of experience in senior care management. A specialist in accessibility travel and geriatric neurology, Shoaf also served as inspiration for the cruise. “The idea for a dementia-friendly cruise grew out of Kathy Shoaf’s senior-friendly, ‘bucket list’ cruises,” Chirico told McKnight’s Senior Living in a recent interview. “Taking the idea to another level, Kathy began seeking out senior care professionals and former caregivers turned dementia coaches and consultants — like me — to co-host a cruise.” Communication and Commiseration Boasting an esteemed lineup of senior care practitioners and professionals, attendees will be able to participate in workshops, attend sessions and – most importantly – mingle with others professionals and family members experiencing similar challenges. Featuring Brian Kursonis, Founder and President of Faith2Care.org and blogger at withAlzmyheart.com, the cruise will also include talks from dieticians, physicians and dementia care educators. AlzAuthors group plans to host a Book Circle, and there will also be a screening and panel discussion of the film Do You Know Me Now?, recently awarded the Silver Remi Award from the Worldfest Houston International Film Festival. Chirico planned the event in order to provide professional caregivers, residents of assisted living and memory care communities and their families...

Cocoa flavonoids could be the key to fighting age-related mental decline and improving cognitive function in older adults. For years, doctors and scientists have been on the lookout for a magic pill, some daily dose able to fight age-related cognitive decline and potentially stop dementia in its tracks. While Mary Poppins counseled a spoonful of sugar to cure most ills, the real nutritional superstar may actually be chocolate. According to a recent article published in Frontiers in Nutrition, cocoa flavonoids- one of the main ingredients in your typical candy bar, could enhance human cognition. “Through a variety of direct and indirect biological actions, in part, still speculative, cocoa and cocoa-derived food have been suggested to possess the potential to counteract cognitive decline and sustain cognitive abilities, particularly among patients at risk,” explain the study’s authors. “Although still at a preliminary stage, research investigating the relations between cocoa and cognition shows dose-dependent improvements in general cognition, attention, processing speed, and working memory.” A Recipe for Healthy Brains Chocolate’s potential to positively impact cognitive function derives from the cocoa flavonoids influence on cardiovascular function as well as its potential as a neuromodulator. In addition to flavonoids, chocolate also contains other “functional ingredients,” including methyl xanthine caffeine and theobromine, which paired together can also positively influence neurocognitive function. “Moreover, cocoa flavanols…exert a protective role on cognitive performance and cardiovascular function specifically impaired by sleep loss, in healthy subjects,” write the study’s authors. “Together, these findings converge at pointing to cocoa as a new interesting nutraceutical tool to protect human cognition and counteract different types of cognitive decline, thus encouraging further investigations.” Sweetening the Golden Years The study’s authors also delve into the possibility regular chocolate consumption could be beneficial for older adults. In addition to protecting cognitive...

Recently recognized as a Dementia Capable Society Leader by Dementia Care Specialists, Florida-based senior living provider The Arbor Company has announced the introduction of its Bridges memory care program at the company’s Barrington Terrace senior living community in Fort Myers. The Arbor Company began expanding its dementia care services last year with specialized training for its care providers via webinars and in-person classroom instruction. Decrying the standard, “one-size-fits-all” approach to most memory care issues, the company’s Bridges program is meant to provide a more tailored solution. The program’s three “neighborhoods” cover the range of memory care needs, from assisted living to early stage dementia, with customized 24-hour support. At the assisted living level, residents receive minimal to comprehensive care based on their needs and lifestyles and designed to grow as those needs change. At the Bridges level, a “high-sensory, purposeful environment” groups residents based on similar stages of memory loss for less isolation and a more comfortable living environment. At the final stage, the Evergreen neighborhood includes 24-hour support and care based on “the latest dementia research.” “The services and programs Barrington Terrace offers its residents are beyond compare,” Laura Ellen Christian, The Arbor Company’s Vice President of Engagement and Training said in a statement. “We are excited to introduce the Bridges concept to Fort Myers and to the families who will benefit from our unique philosophy of memory care.” In addition to individualized care programs based on a resident’s specific needs, the Bridges program also provides counseling and support for family members. With the goal of making memory care affordable and effective, the Bridges program at Barrington Terrace gives residents access to the latest in dementia care in a warm, inviting environment. “Our new neighborhoods at Barrington Terrace make an immediate impact upon families who...

Over 60 percent of the world’s population is bilingual, and it’s long been known the capacity to understand two or more languages can help older adults maintain healthy brain function and stave off dementia.. With more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, the ability to speak two or more languages isn’t just a party trick… it can be a lifesaver. A 2013 study published in Neurology determined bilingualism could delay onset of dementia by almost 5 years. The study’s authors discovered the bilingual benefit occurs regardless of education, sex or even literacy.Moreover, because bilingual brains are accustomed to understanding more than one language, they are well equipped to manage degeneration and neuron loss by utilizing alternative ways to function. “After years of daily practice managing interference between two languages, bilinguals become experts at selecting relevant information and ignoring information that can distract from a task,” explains Dr. Ana Inés Ansaldo, a researcher at the Centre de recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. “In this case, bilinguals showed higher connectivity between visual processing areas located at the back of the brain,” she writes in summary of her research on the differences in brain function between bilingual and monolingual seniors. “Data indicate[s] that the bilingual brain is more efficient and economical, as it recruits fewer regions and only specialized regions.” Multilingual Multitasking Dr. Ansaldo’s research identified two cognitive benefits associated with bilingualism. While monolingual seniors use diverse brain areas when completing cognitive tasks, bilingual adults save resources through centralized and specialized functional connections. Additionally, when completing cognitive tasks bilingual seniors use less of the brain’s frontal regions, which are more vulnerable to aging. Dr. Ansaldo theorizes these benefits are what allow bilingual seniors to stave off dementia and other signs of cognitive aging. “We...

As a dementia crisis looms, one Japanese city has ditched GPS locators and other wearable devices in favor of low-tech stickers for tracking elderly patients.   While dementia locators have been around for a couple of years, a new system developed in Japan aims to fix some of the issues inherent t wearable tracking devices. Ditching pendants and pocket GPS trackers, a company in Iruma, Japan has developed a QR-code tagging system for dementia patients. Beyond the ID Tag Typical medical ID bracelets and patient wristbands still serve an important function, but anything wearable can be damaged or lost. Because dementia patients are often incapable of supplying basic information about their identity, the ability to affix a permanent identifier has become increasingly important. While microchips may seem like an obvious solution, without the tools to read an implanted device any subcutaneous identifier has limited utility. Similarly, GPS trackers must often be within range of satellite or mobile service to be useful. As a result, there’s a growing need for a practical, low-cost and easily managed solution. The one-centimeter QR stickers recently deployed in Iruma are water resistant and designed to last up to two weeks. They can be affixed to a fingernail or toenail, and can be read by any free QR code mobile app. The code itself includes a unique identifier, along with the name, telephone number and address of the patient. The service, which is free, was just launched in November of this year to positive response. “There are already ID stickers for clothes or shoes, but dementia patients are not always wearing those items,” a Japanese official explained to AFP news. “Being able to attach the seals on nails is a great advantage.” A Crisis Point The World Health Organization estimates some 36...