Alzheimer’s and Down Syndrome

My friend’s son is a person with Down syndrome; he is in his late 30’s, manages the cart team at a grocery store, and lives in a group home. He is happy, self-sufficient, and resilient.  I think about him every time someone brings up his condition and I hope that others see the potential that people with his disorder can bring to both society and themselves.

I came across a statistic the other day – that more than 75% of those with Down syndrome aged 65 and older have Alzheimer’s.  That’s nearly six times the percentage of people in this age group who do not have Down syndrome. They are also more likely to develop early onset Alzheimer’s since they live, on average, 55-60 years.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s for people with Down syndrome can be challenging – people may exhibit noticeable behavior changes rather than forgetfulness or memory loss. Alzheimer’s research may have different implications for people with Down syndrome because of the genetic differences of people with and without it. Even medications are processed differently in the body.

It’s estimated that over 400,000 people in the U.S. have Down syndrome – approximately 1 in every 1,000 babies receive a diagnosis. Down syndrome is a chromosomal condition in which people are born with an extra copy of chromosome number 21. That one extra copy causes developmental delays and health issues, such as heart, bone, and muscle problems.

Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s aren’t going away, but we look forward to future research to find some relief in these life-changing conditions.  

Information retrieved from http://www.alz.org/dementia/downloads/topicsheet_downsyndrome.pdf; Accessed September 2014.

Image from: http://www.alz.org/dementia/down-syndrome-alzheimers-symptoms.asp

Helping Your Elderly Neighbors After a Storm

This past weekend, the Northeast was hit with a huge blizzard. Some towns received over 40 inches of snow, and the majority of towns received at least 12 inches. With the clean-up just beginning, and many without power, it’s easy to forget about your neighbors. However, the elderly are at high risk during these storms. Many times, they are physically unable to prepare their homes for storms, and it is too taxing to clean up following a storm.

Here are some ways you can help out your elderly neighbors after a big storm.

• Offer to help clean up any debris on their property.

• Help them with shoveling and clearing off their walk ways to prevent any falls.

• Throw salt and sand over their walk ways to prevent slipping.

 • If you have any extra food, bring it over to them during the storm.

• Bring them over extra supplies, such as batteries, water, blankets and canned food. • Call them after the storm to see if they need any supplies.

• Provide them with your phone number to call in case of emergencies. This way, if anything comes up, they will have someone to reach.

• Make sure that they have refills of all of their prescriptions. If they are stuck in the house, they may run out and not have enough left in their prescription.

 • Offer to run errands for them. Sometimes the elderly are hesitant about running errands because of poor weather. This will allow them to stay off the roads if they don’t feel comfortable

• Call them regularly to check on them.

• Call your local senior center and see if there is anything that they need.

 Leave more suggestions in the comments section below!