New Alzheimer’s disease treatment gives hope for cure

Senile dementia sufferers like my daddy could be helped by latest research on a Alzheimer's cure

Great news just came my way today – Alzheimer’s disease treatment which could cure the cruel condition could be here in five years.

Could this be true? With the brain-wasting disease expected to affect 600,000 Australians by 2050, this is astounding news for us baby boomers, especially those caring for elderly parents with Alzheimer’s and other dementia and  for the next generation who may have to care for those of us who develop it.

It is heart-breaking when loved ones first develop Alzheimer’s disease symptoms and the inevitable diagnosis hits you like a ton of bricks.

Of course, Alzheimer’s does not only affect the elderly as it can strike at earlier ages. But the older a person gets, the greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s grows.

The newspaper article which brightened my Sunday said that researchers at the University of Sydney had isolated the cause of the disease in the interaction between two proteins in an otherwise healthy brain cell.

The university team stopped this interaction in mice genetically engineered to develop Alzheimer’s disease by injecting a special protein into their brain using special implants.

This is another example of the brilliant medical researchers we have in Australia where we lead the world in so many areas.

While the research is concentrating on Alzheimer’s, it is feasible that any breakthrough will lead to better treatment for other forms of dementia. My father has senile dementia, not as cruel as Alzheimer’s but heart-breaking enough as bit by bit, he slips away from me.

If you want to read about the research in more detail go to the Herald-Sun website. Hope it puts a smile on your face, my friends

We Ageing Baby Boomers

I just saw this rather cute animated cartoon about ageing baby boomers, so I have out it up here for you to enjoy. It touches on various aspects of seniors health, including sex after 50. Maybe I should have titled this one From the Swinging 60s – TO the Swinging 60s… What do you think? We are open for comments.