March 2009 Archives

  (43:09)

"A daily dose of rigorous cognitive exercise," to prevent or slow dementia, that's how Dakim CEO Dan Michel describes his company's Brain Fitness System.

Long term memory, short term memory, language, computation, spatial orientation and critical thinking are the six cognitive domains the system exercises.

He bootstrapped the company and self funded it for the first 5 years before raising an angel round in 2005. In 2008 he raised an institutional round of $10.5M.

Does the system stave off Alzheimers? Can it be used as a hedge against dementia?

Carol writes, I had some time to visit and listen to "after the cottage" - what a wonderful thought for Frank to explore and chronicle.

I certainly know that sometimes it has seemed overwhelming for me, and I have felt alone.  Yet, I realize that so many of us are doing this thing together.  We were lucky in a way - by the time the dementia thing took hold, all the legal and personal papers had been done.  In fact Mom and Dad had put all their assets into an irrevocable trust 5 years ago, so that part has been easy for us.  I am the trustee and so I was amused with Frank talking about how his mother had chosen him has executor of her will, and some of the others thought he wasn't worthy.  That was funny to hear Frank talk of that. 

Sometimes, we just have to find humor in these things.  Anyway, a big thank you to Frank for putting his thoughts out there for others.  So many boomers continue to do this sort of caretaking and it is tough on everyone.

Be well and take care,

I'm back from Las Vegas and the huge Aging in America conference. First off, it's A National Forum on Civic Engagement which is another word for giving back. Almost 500 people registered for this all day session, it's capped at 360 of my new, closest friends.

This is where social workers travel to for a vacation. Folks from NYC and Hawaii have stepped up to the mics. There's a lack of money for social programs even when the economy is booming, so you can imagine the lament here. Balancing the lack of funding is the overall hope in the 'new administration'. I'm already feeling that many aging issues are overwhelming for society.

At the break I met Imelda who runs a nursing home for Alzheimers patients. Did I know of new communities based on home-like facilities, housing 10-12 patients per home, connected to other next door homes, all in clusters? No more long dark hallways, Boomers will like these homes because they'll be more comfortable and communal, she offered. I told her of our searching for assisted living and dad's increasing dementia.

Then Imelda spotted Virginia Bell, author of The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimers Care. Virginia quickly probed, "does your father still recognize you?". Of course. "One day he might not, but he'll be able to sense a friend". Imelda agreed. So that's a simple take-away, concentrate on sustaining a relationship as if I was a friend. Any corollaries, Virginia? "Arguing never accomplishes anything." Something else for me to remember.

  (23:55)

Tamara Hayes of the Oregon Center for Aging and Technology (ORCATECH) at Oregon's Health and Science University is collaborating with Steve Agritelley at Intel on common projects related to aging in place technologies.

She 'instruments' peoples homes with unobtrusive sensors. What for? Prompting to take a medicine, for example; the sensors are context aware and know when it's a good time to interrupt. Using motion sensors for movement, "phone sensors for socialization, contact sensors in the door so we know when they come and go, we use bed mats for restlessness in bed." It's like surveillance, but without any cameras.

There's a lot of technology out there, but its effectiveness or application "is not well understood yet". 

"There are a lot of different disciplines cooperating to make this happen."

  (34:01)

Mom and Dad wrap up their 2 week trip to southern California; it was longer than they planned due in part to an injury. But much was accomplished during this time. I share all the details with my Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Paul back in Treelakes. On the plus side, a lot of paperwork was signed: living wills, health care powers of attorney, one power of attorney and two new last will and testaments. But there were lots of issues, especially among the siblings. During the call we wrap it up.