elderly pets

It’s still blazing hot in much of the US, but Fall really is right around the corner. Which means it’s time to check in with your elderly relatives and make sure they’re prepared for the coming season.

Clothing – Make sure they have clothes which can be comfortably worn in layers, including sturdy shoes. Even a resupply of reusable masks may be appropriate.

Food –  Go into their fridges & pantries. Are they properly stocked? Is there anything expired/freezer-burned or otherwise not fit for use? Then dump them and help restock with new foods.

Bathrooms – Are they stocked with essentials (paper goods, toiletries, safety/support aides)? Are all of their over-the- counter medicines & supplements still within their ‘use by’ dates?

Pleasure – Do they have new books/games/DVDs to watch? Exercises or hobbies to engage in? Any new activities do engage in while much of the world is still locked down? If not, drop some off and encourage them to participate.

With Covid lockdowns still in force in many places, residential facilities are still generally restricting visitors, but you should still make time to contact facility management and ask some pertinent questions:

• What is the Covid status of the residents and workers at the facility? Are distancing guidelines being enforced?
• Do they have new activity plans going forward for residents?
• When & where can you drop off season-appropriate apparel for your loved one?

Fall can be hard on people, and Covid will make it even tougher. But these are questions which need to be asked, and soon, for the sake of everyone’s senior loved ones.

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Alzheimer’s patients who are exposed to pets such as dogs display more positive behavior, according to a study carried out on an Alzheimer’s special care unit. Additional studies show that pets can provide companionship, reduce isolation, and ease anxiety. Modern

technology has now embraced the benefits that pets offer Alzheimer’s patients. These studies have resulted in therapy pets increasingly utilized by individuals with cognitive disorders.

But exactly how do real and replica pets help Alzheimer’s patients? Dr. Jonathan Graff-Radford states that regular physical activity can slow down dementia symptoms in those who already have the disease, and can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s in those who are at risk of developing it. Despite this, 28% of over 50’s never exercise, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). This is concerning as this group is one of the most at risk of dementia. Thankfully, when a pet is brought into the mix, individuals with Alzheimer’s and those who are at risk of developing it are more likely to:

• Head outdoors
• Enjoy long walks with their companion
• Get up and play with their pet
• Explore new locations on foot

Combat loneliness

38% of people living with dementia say that they feel lonely, and a further 12% say that they’re not sure whether what they feel qualifies as loneliness, according to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Loneliness in Alzheimer’s patients typically occurs due to:

• A lack of confidence in their abilities
• Fear that they will become confused
• Losing contact with family and friends
• Being secretive about their health

As pets are always there, will always listen, and don’t judge, they make the perfect companion for individuals feeling these emotions. What’s more, having the responsibility of a pet provides people with a sense of purpose and makes them feel needed. Even if the pet is a lifelike replica rather than a real animal, these emotions are encouraged.

Increases feel-good hormones

Serotonin is a vital neurotransmitter that plays a significant role in a person’s mood, appetite, sleep, and alertness, in addition to multiple other things. Recent studies have found a link between low serotonin levels and the development of Alzheimer’s. As such, actions should be taken to boost the chemicals interacting with the brain in Alzheimer’s patients to prevent depressive symptoms and poor health taking over. Pet therapy is ideal for these individuals as the University of Missouri-Columbia found that stroking a dog for just a few minutes releases multiple “happiness hormones,” including serotonin.

Control & manage symptoms better

Naturally, not every individual with Alzheimer’s will want a pet. There are also factors to consider, such as meeting the pet’s exercise requirements and remembering to feed and groom it regularly. This is where pet therapy comes into its own as giving an individual with

Alzheimer’s a lifelike pet which breathes, sleeps, and feels like a real animal can alleviate a whole host of symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease. A 2016 study concluded that robotic pets can help control anxiety and depression symptoms just as well as medical drugs.

Additionally, pet therapy proved to be successful at symptom control in patients.

There’s no denying that Alzheimer’s can be a difficult disease to manage. But, thankfully, pets, including ones that utilize the latest technology, can provide a significant amount of love and affection that people with Alzheimer’s need. What’s more, these individuals will

benefit from having a companion by their side.

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From the journal Science, a revelation that one of the most consequential and foundational bits of Alzheimer’s disease research in the last quarter century may be based on suspicious data.

The controversy revolves around a 2006 study showing that buildup of a specific amyloid protein in neural tissue was the primary mechanism of Alzheimer’s. This research was based in large part on advanced imaging showing the buildup, and research showing the amyloid buildup in rats caused dementia.

“A 6-month investigation by Science provided strong support for Schrag’s suspicions and raised questions about [Sylvain] Lesné’s research. A leading independent image analyst and several top Alzheimer’s researchers—including George Perry of the University of Texas, San Antonio, and John Forsayeth of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)—reviewed most of Schrag’s findings at Science’s request. They concurred with his overall conclusions, which cast doubt on hundreds of images, including more than 70 in Lesné’s papers. Some look like “shockingly blatant” examples of image tampering, says Donna Wilcock, an Alzheimer’s expert at the University of Kentucky.”

Other research institutions are also beginning investigations into Lesné’s research.

Since its publication in 2006, the amyloid hypothesis has been one of – if not the – driving forces in research into Alzheimer’s and dementia. A plurality and possibly a majority of all research into these fields now touches on the amyloid hypothesis, which is now thrown into tremendous doubt. In that time all of that research has failed to produce substantive functional treatments, and more than a few drugs whose releases were controversial. If this study is shown to be fraudulent, it would effectively have set back Alzheimer’s research for a generation by leading researchers and doctors down a dead end.

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