Tag: Alzheimer’s disease

June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

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“June is Alzheimer’s awareness month and community members like Sharon Cooper are working to spread awareness.

Cooper, a Santa Monica resident works as a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Marina del Rey and Edward Jones is the National Presenting Sponsor for Alzheimer’s Association. She said the company believes it is their duty to help the health and wealth of families who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is the 5th leading cause of death in California, according to Alzheimer’s Association.

In 2017 there is an estimated 630,000 people living with Alzheimer. The number is expected to rise to 690,000 by 2020, and by 2025 it is estimated 840,000 people will be affected in California alone.

“This cause has been near and dear to my heart, as both of my parents had dementia,” said Cooper. “I have seen the impact it has on families and caregivers and it is important people are aware of the resources that are out there.”

As a financial advisor she makes it her goal to inform clients about the resources within the community.

The Alzheimer’s Association California Southland Chapter offers free, and local resources for those facing Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. On the first and third Thursday of each month they offer a support group from 10:30 a.m. through 12:00 p.m. at Welbrook Santa Monica. (1450 17th St.)

“I think the awareness is growing, and the importance of receiving resources is growing,” said Cooper. “However there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Cooper contributes much of her time to help coordinate multiple Alzheimer’s Association walks throughout the Westside region, on behalf of Edward Jones.

“In 2015 there were approximately 166,540 people 65 or older with Alzheimer’s disease in Los Angeles County,” said Alzheimer’s Association Communications Director, Allyson Laughlin.

With so many people affected by this disease Laughlin and Cooper are striving to make the upcoming Walk to End Alzheimer’s Santa Monica the best one yet.

“We are currently building the Walk committee-local volunteers who bring it all together and are searching for members,” said Laughlin. “The majority of the funds raised at the California Southland Chapter’s Walk remain local, serving the Southland.”

Last year Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s Santa Monica raised nearly $78,000 and they hope to raise the same amount or more this year.

The Alzheimer’s Association will host their annual Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Santa Monica on Sept. 24, and it will take place in Tongva Park.

To donate or for more information visit http://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2017/CACaliforniaSouthland?fr_id=10282&pg=entry.”

CREDIT http://smdp.com/

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Be sure to review your power of attorney documents and estate plans.  To find out more information about estate planning and Alzheimer’s disease, contact: Mina Sirkin, Estate Planning Attorney for Alzheimer’s patients, and Conservatorship Attorney in Los Angeles.

Developments in elder care and Alzheimer’s disease

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Researchers at Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, have discovered a unique type of immune cell, the orderly activation of which could be the basis for future treatment of the currently fatal Alzheimer’s disease.

Their findings have led to new concept in how Alzheimer’s is perceived, based on a mechanistic understanding of the central role of microglial cells – the brain’s unique immune cells – in the disease. Prof. Michal Schwartz of the neurobiology department at the institute, said the discovery could eventually lead to new therapy for Alzheimer’s.

​Alzheimer’s, the most significant cause of dementia in the elderly population, is a neurodegenerative disorder manifested by various neuronal pathological processes and a significant reduction in brain function.

In the degenerative disease, beta-amyloid protein, or plaques, accumulate within and between brain cells. Due to both structural changes and the weakening of chemical communication pathways, the synapses, or junctions between neuronal cells, are lost. In addition, the cytoskeletal proteins of the axons, or nerve fibers, lose their normal structure, impairing their function and causing massive death of nerve cells.

The brain is a fragile and unique organ that has its own specially tailored immune system separate from the rest of the body. The primary role of the microglia is to recognize, disassemble and dispose of various substances that do not function properly in the brain, from dying cells to various cell debris and protein aggregates. Yet, microglial activity is under tight regulation to allow them to dispose of waste without harming adjacent healthy neurons that retain important information.

The microglia’s activities, from essential immune function to the risk of damaging healthy neurons due to hyperactivity, are well balanced in young healthy individuals, but might become a disadvantage in aging and under certain neuropathological conditions. A key question is why the brain’s own immune cells are not effective in repairing the damage associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Schwartz has shown over the years that mobilizing cells from the systemic immune system does not always cause harm, and in fact, if well controlled, even help in coping with various brain pathologies. But no one had answered the question whether the microglia are helpful, harmful or useless to the body.

Working together with Prof. Ido Amit of the institute’s immunology department and members of their research groups – postdoctoral researchers Drs. Hadas Keren-Shaul and Assaf Weiner and research students Amit Spinrad, Orit Matcovitch-Natan and Raz Dvir-Szternfeld – Schwartz has now provided an answer to this question, along with a new research approach toward finding ways of treating the disease.

They studied a genetically engineered mouse model of Alzheimer’s, whose genetic makeup includes five mutant human genes that cause an aggressive form of the disease. The brains of these mice exhibit features similar to those that take place in the brains of humans suffering from the dementia.

A significant barrier to understanding the roles of immune cells in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases is the ability to accurately distinguish between similar cells with different functions, and thus understand which is “friend” and which is “foe.”

The team employed advanced single-cell genomic sequencing technology – a “genetic microscope” developed in Amit’s lab in recent years – to fully sequence the genetic material of single cells, allowing them to identify the unique function of these immune cells, even when they are extremely rare.

In this study, they sequenced the RNA content of all the immune cells in the brains of the Alzheimer’s disease mouse model and repeated this experiment at different points in the disease progression and compared the results with those from healthy mice.

​Credit: Jerusalem Post

For questions on how Alzheimer’s disease affects your estate planning, contact Mina Sirkin, Probate Attorney.

ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA ATTORNEYS: SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND LOS ANGELES

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Alzheimer’s Disease is a disease which in its later stages significantly affects the minds of millions of California residents.  Dementia is the term used to describe the symptoms of a large group of illnesses that cause a progressive decline in mental functioning. There are a variety of causes.   Our attorneys are prepared to assist you with matters involving Alzheimer’s Disease.


Alzheimer’s can happen to anybody

Most people with dementia are older, but it is important to remember that older people do not get dementia. It is not a normal part of aging. Dementia can happen to anybody, but it is more common after the age of 65 years. However, people in their 40s and 50s can also have dementia.  Are you concerned about the special needs of someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia?  Call our lawyers.

The most common early symptoms:

The early symptoms of dementia are subtle and vary for each person and from day-to-day. Symptoms gradually get worse. Common symptoms include:

  • Memory problems, especially for recent events (long term memory usually remains in the early stages). 

  • Language and speech difficulties. 

  • Confusion, or getting lost. 

  • Personality changes and behavior changes. 

  • Apathy and withdrawal. 

  • Loss of ability to do familiar tasks.

  • Poor money judgment.

  • Many late bills or unpaid bills.

  • Loss of trust or becoming suspisious of persons, or in some cases becoming too trusting of others.



Types and causes:

There are many different types of dementia. The most common are: 

Alzheimer’s disease – there is no known cause, except for a very small percentage of cases which are inherited. 

Vascular dementia – damage is caused by ‘mini-strokes’, risk may be able to be reduced by maintaining good cardiovascular health: not smoking, weight control, exercise. 

Pick’s disease and frontal lobe dementia – damage starts in the front part of the brain, with personality and behavioral symptoms more common early on; the causes are unknown. 

Parkinson’s disease – dementia is more common in people with Parkinson’s but not everyone with Parkinson’s gets dementia; causes are unknown. 

Alcohol related dementia – caused by too much alcohol, especially with a poor diet, low in Vitamin B1 (thiamine); can be prevented by avoiding alcohol abuse. 

AIDS related dementia – caused by the HIV virus, but does not affect everyone with HIV-AIDS. 

Huntington’s disease: an inherited condition, dementia is usually an inevitable part of the deterioration.

Dementia and Aging


Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are not normal parts of aging, although it is more common in older people.  People as young as 40 can get Alzheimer’s disease. One in four people aged over 85 years have some form of dementia.

Diagnosis is important


It is important to confirm a diagnosis.  

Rule out other conditions which can be mistaken for dementia, such as depression, stress, pain, infection. 

Enable treatments to be discussed – there are treatments which can help some people. 

Help planning for the future to start early, while the person affected can still actively participate. 

Allow support to be arranged to assist both the person with dementia and their family.

A local doctor or specialist should conduct a full assessment. Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service (CDAMS) clinics can assist in diagnosis. If the person will not go to a doctor or the doctor is unwilling to take concerns seriously, seek advice on how to obtain Alzheimer/Dementia support services.

Is it dementia or is it something else?


There are a number of conditions that have symptoms similar to those of dementia. By treating these conditions, the symptoms will often disappear.

These include: 

Some vitamin deficiencies and hormone disorders; 
Depression;
Medication clashes or over medication;
Infections;
Brain tumor.

It is essential that a medical diagnosis is obtained at an early stage, when symptoms first appear, to ensure that a person who has a treatable condition is diagnosed and treated correctly.

Can dementia be inherited?

This will depend on the cause of the dementia, so it is important to have a firm medical diagnosis. If there are concerns about the risk of inheriting dementia, discuss it with a doctor or contact Alzheimer’s Australia and speak to a counselor.

What can be done to help?

At present, there is no prevention or cure for most forms of dementia. However, some medications and alternative treatments have been found to reduce some symptoms. Community support is available for the person with dementia, their families and carers, and can make a positive difference to managing dementia.

Getting help early will make a difference

The earlier medical and legal help is found, the better the family and person with the disease will be. It is important to: 

  • Plan ahead – while the person can still legally sign documents, get enduring powers of attorney to manage financial affairs and medical decisions, and for conservatorship. 
  • Get information – find out about dementia and what lies ahead, being informed gives people more sense of control. 
  • Seek support – many people find it helpful to talk through what a diagnosis of dementia means and how they can make adjustments. 
  • Practical help – help in the home, respite so caregivers can have a break, the person with dementia going out to clubs, day centers or outings with friends, all make a positive difference.
  • Assess whether a Conservatorship is an option or necessary.


Getting Probate Legal Help in Los Angeles Now:

At the early stages of Dementia, if the patient has capacity to recognize his loved ones and identify the nature and extent of his assets, he can create a power of attorney, or trust to allow for another person to manage his assets in the event of his incapacity.

As the disease is progressive, in the later stages of the disease, the above options may become unavailable and the means for taking care of a person’s legal and financial affairs becomes limited to the Conservatorship process. (Please see our article regarding Conservatorships)

The importance of recognizing the symptoms of Dementia or Alzheimer diseases is to be able to plan for the health and financial needs of the patient which often is ignored as family members are overwhelmed by managing the disease itself. Our Elder Law attorneys can help you with determining the best resources for your Elder legal needs.

Support services

There is a wide range of community services which help both the person with dementia and their carers throughout the course of the disease. These include: 

Dementia Helpline. 
Support and information groups, for people in the early stages of dementia and their carers. 
Carer education and training programs. 
Books, videos and other resources. 
Counseling and practical advice, for individuals or family groups. 
Alzheimer / Dementia support groups. 
Telephone support programs. 
Adult Day Care centers. 
Respite care, including in-home, out-of-home and flexible care such as holidays. 
Home care and meals on wheels.
High and low level aged care facilities.


Things to remember

Dementia is a progressive decline in mental functioning .

There are many causes of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is just one of them.

While dementia is more common in older people, it is not a normal part of aging.    Talk to us about power of attorney documents, estate planning, and conservatorships for elderly persons with Alzheimers.   

We are your Los Angeles Alzheimer’s Attorneys.   Probate, Trust and Conservatorships often intersect in Los Angeles based on the facts of the case.   We are well-versed in all of those areas and can provide you with expert opinions.   Free Probate Consultation Los Angeles.

We serve all of Los Angeles County and parts of Ventura and Orange County.   Our Alzheimer’s Attorneys help clients in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, Santa Monica, Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, Tarzana, Reseda, Encino, Northridge, Granada Hills, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Venice, North Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, and Culver City.  Call us if you want to legally protect a loved one with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.   Our LA Probate Lawyer can help.