Testimonials — Stuffed animals for Nursing Homes

Leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, Actavis plc, announced the launch of their Unconditional Love campaign today, in honor of the more than 15 million Americans who act as caregivers to a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer's, and the unconditional bond and patience they develop through caregiving. "Caregiving is a different kind of love that most people don't expect to experience," says Betsy Broyles, caregiver and partner of Actavis. "Caregiving requires you to take on many different roles; but in doing so, the unconditional love you provide ensures that your loved one is treated properly. In turn, you begin to...

Doris Crouse, from northeastern Alabama, is part of a unique genetic line in which Alzheimer's disease has affected an alarming 50 percent of her extended family. "They are doing a study on the Chastain blood, because we have an extra Alzheimer's gene," Crouse says. "They're trying to find a cure and think it's real possible it could be in our blood. They say we're the only family in America who has this extra gene and there are only two other families in the world who do." (source) Dr. Allan Levey, chair of the Department of Neurology at Emory University School...

Though many scientific studies use genetically modified mice to replicate what the effects of Alzheimer's disease would be in a human brain, there are several species of animals that naturally develop brain changes that resemble Alzheimer's in humans, namely dogs. Like people, when dogs age, some develop learning and memory problems, while some remain sharp and as capable of learning as younger dogs. Dogs even have symptoms of cognitive decline that are very similar to those in humans, such as disrupted or irregular sleeping schedules and difficulty recognizing family members and friends. Elizabeth Head, PH.D, of the Sanders-Brown Center on...

 Photo by Tom Eblen Three decades ago, the Best Friends Day Center in Lexington, KY began creating a new approach to caregiving for people with Alzheimer's and dementia called the "Best Friends Approach", which is now an internationally recognized care model that has been implemented in over 30 countries. Virginia Bell began the Best Friends program in 1984, and has co-authored several books on the subject of Alzheimer's therapy, and at 92 years old, continues to be an energetic force behind the Best Friends initiative.The center says they are always looking for volunteers to spend time with residents (volunteers' ages...

On Sunday, actress Julianne Moore won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of a patient with early-onset Alzheimer's in the film Still Alice. In the movie, Moore's character is just 50 years old when she is diagnosed, and the narrative of the film follows both her and her family's struggle to cope with her mental decline. Up to 5% of Alzheimer's sufferers are under the age of 65—typically in their 40's or 50's. These younger patients diagnosed with the disease are considered to have an "early onset" of Alzheimer's, which is where this form of dementia gets its name. Consulted...