Tag Archives: alzheimers

New Zealand has switched from one dementia screening test to another, from the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA©) to the Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (Mini-ACE). The new cognitive screening test evaluates four main areas – orientation, memory, language and visuospatial function. It is now the recommended screening tool for use by primary …

Chef Terence Austin is on a mission – to ensure those with the eating condition dysphagia get presented with meals that look, smell and taste just as good as those served to people without the condition. People with dysphagia have difficulty swallowing liquids and solids. It’s a growing problem among …

Hayley Guglietta helped look after her mum, Patricia Norris, at home during the early stages of dementia. She then went through the process of getting long-term care for Patricia. Hayley now volunteers for Dementia Canterbury. Here, Hayley shares some of the lessons she has learned. You and your dad spent …

Monday September 21 is World Alzheimers Day, an opportunity to reflect on a condition that 170,000 Kiwis are expected to be living with by 2050. ‘Wandering’ is identified as a symptom of dementia but why don’t we just call it ‘walking’? Caroline Egan of HelloCare explores why the words we …

The Dementia Action Plan 2020 to 2025, released in May, has as one of its four objectives “building accepting and understanding communities” to improve the wellbeing of people living with the disease. “Stigma and a lack of awareness, poor understanding and barriers to inclusion are among the most devastating things …

As the debate over New Zealand’s End of Life Bill continues, it is a good idea to see what is happening “over the ditch” as Victoria passes its new assisted dying laws. Victoria’s new laws came into effect on 19 June this year. For the first time in over 20 …

A recent study from researchers at England’s University of Cambridge has found that virtual reality (VR) can identify symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease more accurately than ‘gold standard’ cognitive testing. In 2014, researchers discovered what is known as our brain’s “internal satnav” (the entorhinal cortex), one of the first regions to be damaged …

A tipple of tea and a sweet treat or two was on offer as part of a nationwide event to raise money to support people living with dementia. On Thursday, a High Tea took place at Alzheimers Taranaki day programme, which is held at New Plymouth’s Waimea Bowling Club. About 70 people …

At just 57 years old, Amrita Francis’ world turned upside down, with an early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis that within five years would heavily affect her memory and ability to work. Now at 62 years old, ex-music teacher Amrita still remembers how to play classical piano, and she still enjoys her family. …

For most of us, when we think about people living with dementia we think about the older members of our community. And while most people with dementia only begin to develop symptoms after they reach the age of 65, for some people the signs begin much earlier. Younger onset dementia …