“My mother also died from Alzheimer’s; a fellow climber told me several years ago as we hiked up a Colorado 14er. She continued, “I used to raise money, try to support research and a change in policy. I had a hope for a cure, but I gave up.” We walked quietly along as I let that sink in. In some ways that was a defining moment for me as my own mom entered the final stages of Alzheimer’s. My mission became to give a voice to those who had given up, to speak for those who cannot speak up. I continue reading

It was on August 16, 2009 that my mom Ida Arnette, died from Alzheimer’s disease. Two years ago. In that time, my life has changed in ways I could never imagine but more importantly, I have been able to pursue my life work’s of spreading hope, need and urgency about this dreadful disease to millions around the world. For regular readers of this Blog and those who are following my 7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s: Memories are Everything quest, these figures are familiar: There is no cure Every 70 seconds a new case is diagnosed in the US Over 5 continue reading

I had a wonderful opportunity today to speak with three of the leading Bloggers on Alzheimer’s. We explored our common goals around Alzheimer’s Disease – education, supporting family caregivers and finding a cure Each of these individuals are personally impacted by AD and write passionately about their own experiences plus provide a valuable service with information, links and articles posted throughout the web. The Bloggers were: ·         Alzheimer’s Reading Room ·         Alzheimer’s Speaks Blog ·         WEGO Health I encourage you to add their sites to your daily “must read” bookmarks and also subscribe to them. Through their help we will continue reading

Sometimes Alzheimer’s feels like a mystery to anyone who has never see it in person. You hear about people who have lost their memories, or their identities but to experience it in person is both educational and frightening. There are a few brave individuals who are currently sharing their own personal experiences through various websites and you can see my own experience with my mom on this site. However, film makers are able to use their talents to bring this experience home to anyone through the miracle of actors in a sensitive, provocative and impact manner. These videos are designed continue reading

I climb for many reasons – exercise, being outdoors, challenge but there is another reason that hits close to home for me. According to a recent study published in Neurology and covered in the Consumer Reports Blog, it may stave of brain shrinkage which has been linked to memory problems as we age. From the report: For the study, 299 dementia-free seniors reported the number of blocks they walked in one week. The total number of blocks walked over a one-week period ranged from 0 to 300. The walkers were given brain scans nine years later to measure brain size, continue reading

There is great excitement in the Alzheimer’s world that a new test can predict if a person will have the disease with 100% certainty. This according to a study published in the Archives of Neurology . Simply put, the study looked for indications of Alzheimer’s in spinal fluid taken from a group of 300 individuals all over 70 years of age. 114 had normal memories, 200 had memory problems and 102 actually already had Alzheimer’s disease. It was blind study where individuals and researchers did not know the status of the subjects. The New York Times summarized the results: Nearly continue reading

You may wonder why I link mountain climbing with Alzheimer’s. My simple answer is that a healthy body =  a healthy mind. You don’t have to climb Mt. Everest, a short amount of daily exercise will do the trick. A new study from the famed Mayo Clinic proves the point: Those who said they did moderate exercise — such as swimming, brisk walking, yoga, aerobics or strength training — during midlife were 39% less likely to have mild cognitive impairment, while those who did moderate exercise later in life were 32% less likely to have the condition. The Mayo team continue reading

“I think something is wrong with Mom.” I said quietly to my wife.  And with that Christmas observation in 2000, the future was cast. Recognizing the early signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia are crucial for taking care of parents, relatives and friends. And since we often only see them during the holidays, early November is a good time to review the signs. I lived across the country and sometimes across oceans from my parents as they aged thus missing some obvious signs. But during a Christmas visit in 2000, I noticed my mother not being herself. Once meticulous about her continue reading