Category: In the news
Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019
A quarter of Australians with dementia may be taking antipsychotic medication for symptoms that could be better managed through non-pharmacological means. These symptoms – which include aggression, agitation, hallucinations, wandering, verbal outbursts and delusions – are what researchers and health professionals often call “Behaviours and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia” (BPSD), and are experienced by most […]
Monday, July 29th, 2019
Of the near half a million Australians currently living with dementia, 91% of these individuals rely on the informal unpaid support of a family member or friend [1]. Most people with dementia and their families prefer that the person with the condition remain living at home for as long as possible; yet, without adequate support services […]
Wednesday, July 24th, 2019
People living with advanced dementia can experience remarkable moments of spontaneous clarity near the end of their life. An interdisciplinary workgroup is calling for a closer examination into this unusual phenomenon, called terminal or paradoxical lucidity; proposing that it may give clues to there being a reversible component to this otherwise assumed irreversible, degenerative condition. […]
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019
One in four Australian adults are lonely 1. Loneliness is a feeling of distress we experience when our social relations are not the way we would like. It has been linked to poor mental health, and an increased risk for physical health conditions comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day 2. Internationally, loneliness is fast emerging as […]
Friday, May 3rd, 2019
Do you usually listen to what telemarketers have to say? Do you believe that if something sounds too good to be true, that it usually is? These were two of five questions presented to 935 dementia-free 76-86 year old research participants living in Chicago, and then totalled together to create a rudimentary score of scam […]
Monday, April 29th, 2019
Dementia rates among older Australians accessing home or long-term care services are declining according to a large-scale evaluation undertaken by the SAHMRI-based Registry of Older South Australians. Using the largest sample of people accessing aged care services in Australia, the study examined two cohorts; (i) people who accessed long-term aged care, such as nursing homes, […]
Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019
We know exercise is good for our brain, but how? It is well known that regular exercise protects against cognitive decline. The evidence underpins the World Health Organization recommendation that adults aged 65 years and over participate in a minimum 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week. However, researchers haven’t yet been able to identify […]
Friday, March 15th, 2019
A study published last week by researchers from UNSW and ANU, found that eating a MIND diet, a Mediterranean- based diet with a few purposeful brain health tweaks backed by science, reduced the risk of dementia. What did the study do? The investigation followed 1220 people living in Canberra aged 60-64 years old, for a […]
