website:cbsnews/videos/living-to-90-and-beyond-part-one/
Part two is also there... some interesting stuff going on. I especially liked the part about caffeine, high blood pressure and alcohol having an affect on not getting dementia.... if I can keep this up another 20 years I may just make it!!
Anyway, my thoughts were mixed. The study seems biased in that the people involved seem (SEEM) to be well educated, active, etc., etc. I'm wondering if there are studies that would include those who haven't had a chance either through upbringing, etc., to be as well versed, in a 'higher class' (hate to say this, but there's some truth to it), along with those who just don't have the money to socialized as well as these people have during their past thirty years in this retirement community. I did Google "NIH 90 Plus (+) study and found some information. I was also looking for the transcript on the CBS website, but the video along with it's 'coins' (don't know what that's all about, i.e., seems you get more 'coins' the more commercials you watch before the video) annoyed me, so I quit.
Does anyone know or perhaps one of the professionals can write an article on this study and others out there for those of us who are dealing with the different forms of dementia. I know before my mom got vascular dementia with the paranoia element, I thought dementia was dementia and just led to Alzheimer's because I cared for my MIL about 20 years ago who had what was then known as familial Alzheimer's (very little known back then). Interesting to see the different types, how people can cope and work around it, etc., etc.
What I do know is that I'm very grateful (and people are probably getting sick of my mentioning this) for the 'newer specialty' which I found out about at least fifteen years ago while studying bereavement, aging, etc., of Board Certified (important) geriatric medicine. Now I find there are geriatric psychiatrists also. So important since many in internal medicine seem to believe that once you are of a certain age, i.e., 65 or a bit older, your problems are because of your age and nothing else. My father in law was a victim of this in that he would complain of hip pain to his internist at the time (once again, 10-15 years ago) which internist attributed to age without even doing x-rays, whatever. Turned out to be bone cancer. So important to find that right doctor who will listen to the 'aged' and hear them, not dismiss them.
My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Somewhere around this place is the medical report. I know it's here, I'm sure I've seen it...not sure where I put it tho! She finally has her Neurologist appt in a few weeks and I want to take it with us. She was diagnosed in a small town and I mean they finally got a McDonalds a few years ago small town... who's to say it wasn't just a quickie diagnosis?
People vary in the course of the disease but there are some strong almost always there similarities. It's good to stay informed and bring all symptoms to the attention of the physician. You might be onto something!
Part 2 of the video made me start looking to see if there are any new follow-ups. I couldn't find anything. If anyone chances across something, I would love to read it.
Either way, they are seemingly getting closer to solving this awful awful disease.