A Wiser Mind » Health

Reading and Resource List

Rick — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:50:17 +0000

If you are concerned about caring for a person living with dementia, or if you’re simply interested in brain aging and health, we’ve developed a list of resources and books to review.

Reading list:

The Mind & The Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force, by Jeffrey M. Schwartz, M.D. and Sharon Begley

Train Your Mind Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves, by Sharon Begley

Keep Your Brain Alive, by Lawrence C. Katz, Ph.D. and Manning Rubin

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Care for Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease, Related Dementing Illnesses, and Memory Loss Later in Life, by Nancy L. Mace M.A. and Peter V. Rabins M.D., M.P.H.

Visiting Mom: An Unexpected Gift (A guide for visiting elders with Alzheimer’s) by Sherry M. Bell, Ph.D.

The Alzheimer’s Sourcebook for Caregivers by Frena Gray-Davidson

New Hope for People with Alzheimer’s and Their Caregivers by Porter Shimer

Mom, Are You There? Finding a path to peace through Alzheimer’s by Kathleen Negri

Web Resources:

A WiserMind: www.aWiserMind.com

Alzheimer’s Association: www.alz.org

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America: www.alzfdn.org

National Parkinson Foundation: www.parkinson.org

Parkinson Disease Foundation: www.pdf.org

National Multiple Sclerosis Society: www.nationalmssociety.org

National Stroke Association: www.stroke.org

Disclaimer, please read:

The body of knowledge of dementia and dementia-care changes on a daily basis. Approach all sources with an openness and awareness that there are likely alternative views available and more current research that might change views or statements contained in any publication.

The preceding is a list of resources that you may wish to review on the subjects of cognition preservation, Neuroscience, and Alzheimer’s care. These resources have been suggested by a variety of sources and, as such, A WiserMind does not endorse any of the views or statements contained therein. This list is not intended as a substitute for qualified medical and expert advice. If you feel you need medical advice, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Fall Factors: Balance

Rick — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 02:56:10 +0000

Body and environment factors contribute to falls. Body factors, consist of our sense of balance, muscle strength, flexibility, posture and muscle control. Environment factors are poor lighting, obstacles, slippery or unstable surfaces and lack of support. An issue or deficit in any one factor can increase your chances of taking a tumble, but in many instances multiple factors are present.

Our Sense of Balance

Our sense of balance comes from our ears, eyes and brains. In youth, our inner-ears provide the dominant sense of balance. But for many of us, as we age, our vision plays an increasing role in our overall perception of balance. The impact of vision on balance can be seen in the dizzying sensation of vertigo that some experience in high places. Over time, however, many of us begin to rely more and more heavily on our eyes to give us confidence about our balance and we trust and use our inner-ears less. So it is, that changes in our vision–or poor lighting–become contributing factors in falls.

As mentioned, our chief source of balance is our ears. It originates in three semi-circular tubes inside the ear and two other small organs. These three structures provide information to the brain stem and cerebellum, the parts of the brain at its base and connected to the spinal cord. These parts of the brain are not part of your conscious awareness, so you can make small changes to your posture, to your limb position and even make changes to eye movement to help manage balance without being aware of it.

When our sense of balance is thrown-off we can feel dizzy, disoriented or nausea. There are some diseases that permanently affect our balance, but temporary balance changes can be from something as simple as a new medication, an inner-ear infection, a bad head-cold, or dehydration.

Join us next week for Part 2 Fall Factors: Our Bodies

Go to the previous post in this series: Fall Cause and Survival–Introduction

Fall Cause and Survival Introduction

Rick — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:06:03 +0000

In-home falls are often caused by hazards that are easy to fix. Unfortunately, easy doesn’t get done, and so these hazards are ignored and overlooked. Each year more than a third of adults over 65 experience a fall. Statistics collected by the CDC indicate that if you have one fall you are two to three times more likely to fall again. Falling is a slippery slope that could be easily avoided. To make matters worse, falls don’t just mean the minor pumps and bruises of youth. In seniors, falls can lead to injury, disability, reduced physical function, loss of independence, drastically increased cost of care, and in the worst scenario–death.

At A WiserMind, we strive to help maximize quality of life. That’s not just limited to the brain and emotional health therapies that we specialize in, but also in all aspects of quality of life. Helping to reduce falls and their consequences can have a huge impact on improving quality of life and overall fitness.

In this multipart post, we’ll look at the internal and external causes of falls and we’ll provide simple suggestions to reduce your chances. In later posts we’ll provide some suggestions to help improve your chances of surviving a fall should you have the misfortune of taking a spill.

To learn more, click here to go to, Part 1, Fall Factors: Balance.

The Brain-Body Connection – March 18, 2010

Rick — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:33:17 +0000

Our brains control our bodies and our bodies power our brains. The two are linked together. Dr. Patrick Lovett and Rick Watson (A WiserMind) discuss how changes in our body affect our brains and how brain changes impact our bodies. This must-attend conversation will provide essential information on how to keep our bodies and brains healthy and active.

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm

Location: Garden Plaza of Aurora, 14221 East Evans Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80014

This is a free event open to the public.

Refreshments will be served.

Because these events fill up quickly, RSVPs are highly suggested. Call 303.750.0820 to reserve your seat.

This event is part of the monthly educational series presented by A WiserMind and hosted at Garden Plaza of Aurora.