Tag Archives: Dementia

January 2017 #4PUF

Greetings!

Here we are on the last day of January and it’s my first post of 2017! I thought I’d begin with one of my regular blogs, that of the monthly #4PUF or 4 Previously Untweeted Favourites:

(4/4) OK, so it’s an advert (other chocolates are available 😂), but pretty cool yeah? #WorldBrailleDay #EqualityandInclusion #4PUFworldbrailleday

(3/4) What do you know about #crohnsdisease? Here’s a chance to find out more 👍 #GetYourBellyOut @CrohnsColitisUK @CrohnsDiseaseUK #4PUF Woman with #Crohns Disease bravely bares #ostomy bag for first time #GetYourBellyOut @HuffPoLifestyle @tashahinde http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/woman-with-crohns-disease-bravely-bares-ostomy-bag-for-the-first-time_uk_58736c4ce4b0961f09387c96ncid=engmodushpmg00000004getmybellyout

(2/4) Do you know what the #SymptonsOfSepsis are? If not take a look at this short video #sepsis @UKSepsisTrust #4PUF https://twitter.com/NHSChoices/status/821648965666009089 For more information visit:

(1/4) New brand, same message #UnitedAgainstDementia 👍 @alzheimerssoc #4PUF https://twitter.com/alzheimerssoc/status/826151754496667648united-against-dementia

I hope you enjoy reading them and if you feel able to then please as ever…#ReadLearnShare

Cheers,

Ben

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#TOTW from 22-06-16 ‘#Alzheimers and #Diabetes’

Ciao!

After a week off for my birthday i’m back with #TOTW, for which this week I have chosen:

I wasn’t aware of the link between and until I read this article – interesting http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/21/drugs-used-to-treat-diabetes-could-cure-alzheimers-experts-say/

“Scientists believe that the two conditions are so similar that medications already used to control levels of glucose and regulate diabetes could also halt the onset of dementia.”

I wasn’t aware of the link between the two, either way, before I read this article. Interesting. It just goes to show that there is so much research going on that most of us probably have no knowledge of. Hopefully by me sharing the articles and stories that I do there may be a few more people at least that get to find out about some of these interesting developments!

#ReadLearnShare

Cheers!

ben 🙂

#TOTW from 14-08-15 ‘Help us beat dementia’

Afternoon folks!

It was a pretty easy choice this week! Here is my #TOTW:

I’ve just signed up to with we might get one step closer to a cure!

I’ve been meaning to sign-up to this for as long time now, but finally got round to it this week! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, check out the link and see if you feel able to sign-up and join in dementia research.

It can be done online and takes just a few minutes. You might be able to take part in a suitable research project near you.

SIGN-UP TODAY! The sooner we get more volunteers, the nearer we will be to one day beating this dreadful disease!

Thank you!

Ben 🙂

#TOTW from 13-07-2015 ’15-year-old schoolboy develops test for Alzheimer’s’

Welcome All!

Here we are again in the regular Sunday night slot! It didn’t take much thought to pick this week’s #TOTW as I felt there was one stand-out story from the week:

15-year-old schoolboy develops test for ‘s How come this hasn’t been thought of before?!

Krtin Nithiyanandam told the Daily Telegraph:

“The main benefits of my test are that it could be used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms start to show by focusing on pathophysiological changes, some of which can occur a decade before symptoms are prevalent.”

My question is…how on earth has it taken 15-year-old child to come up with something like this? Has it not been thought of at all before? It seems such a simple and obvious idea, and yet i’m sure the chemistry behind it is far from simple!

It’s all to do with antibodies, fluorescent nanoparticles, trojan horses and the blood-brain barrier. It’s great! Can you imagine the possibilities for the advancement of research – and maybe even one day, treatment – in this area if this idea can be developed and becomes a reality!?

Good on ya Master Krtin Nithiyanandam! Let’s hope he does go on to study medicine and pursue a career in the medical profession.

That is all!

Ben 🙂

#TOTW (from: 4-12-14) ‘Dehydration an issue for elderly people’

I often blog about the elderly, but more often than not it is in relation to dementia, and although there is a dementia aspect to this piece, it is more about the issue of the elderly, particularly those in care homes not receiving enough hydration. So, this week’s #TOTW is:

Dehydration an issue for people

Dr Lee Hooper of Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia (UEA), delivered the results of her research to a conference of the Royal Society of Medicine. She stated amongst other things that, “Being dehydrated could cause confusion as well as an increased risk of heart disease, infection and falls and research had shown that the level of anxiety among residents in a care home could fall enormously if they are getting enough fluid.” 

Caroline Abrahams of Age UK stated, “Both hospitals and care homes must get better at picking up on the warning signs of dehydration and at ensuring that while older people are in their care they get all the help they need to eat and drink.”

Surely in this day and age to allow this to happen, if as a result of poor care, is simply unacceptable and should not be allowed to happen. Everything that can be done, should be done to ensure those at risk of dehydration are monitored and given the help they need to keep hydrated.

It’s not exactly rocket science is it!?

Please take a look at the link and learn more about this problem.

#TOTW (from 10-07-2014): ‘Alzheimer’s research in ‘major step’ towards blood test’

This last week has seen yet more stories about assisted dying and people coming out in favour of, or arguing against it. However, as I blogged about this last weekend, I have decided to go with the week’s other big news story as far as I could see, and that was the announcement of a blood test that has been developed in order to help in the battle against Alzheimer’s. This week’s #TOTW is therefore:

Alzheimer’s research in ‘major step’ towards blood test via

Another link I tweeted was also related to the above tweet and is also worth taking a look at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/elderhealth/10954378/Alzheimers-Simple-blood-test-could-speed-up-diagnosis.html

Dr Eric Karran, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, described the study as a “technical tour de force”. However, he warned the current accuracy levels risked telling healthy people they were on course to develop Alzheimer’s which may lead to anxiety and depression. However, Dr Karran did argue this was a step towards making Alzheimer’s a preventable disease.

“I think it does, but not immediately. This gives a better way to identify people who will progress to Alzheimer’s disease, people who can be entered into clinical trials earlier, I think that will increase the potential of a positive drug effect and thereby I think we will get to a therapy, which will be an absolute breakthrough if we can get there.”

Although this announcement is just one of many that seem to be made about the battle against this horrific disease, I feel it marks an important step. Although scientists have a long way to go, this blood test demonstrates the value of research in finding a way to tackle dementia, in all it’s forms. This should give us the hope that with more investment in research and with continued effort from the scientific community along with support from Government and other interested organisations, that maybe one day, whether it be in 10, 15 or 20 years time that we may find a way of detecting signs of the disease early enough to prevent it from causing further damage, and maybe even one day to find a cure.

We can but hope.

#TOTW (19-06-2014): ‘Dementia progress ‘achingly slow’ says global envoy’

In a week dominated by talk of dementia, I decided that this week’s #TOTW is:

‘Dementia progress ‘achingly slow’ says global envoy’ via

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27912473

I think Dr.Gillings sums it up far better than I could, so:

“Dementia is a ticking bomb costing the global economy £350bn and yet progress with research is achingly slow. Research must become more attractive to pharmaceuticals so they will invest and innovate.

“Just as the world came together in the fight against HIV/Aids, we need to free up regulation so that we can test groundbreaking new drugs, and examine whether the period for market exclusivity could be extended.

“Without this radical change, we won’t make progress in the fight against dementia.”

If you look at the figures on the BBC link, then you will see that Government spending on dementia research is almost 1/10th that which is spent on cancer research, and although I’m not suggesting that one is more worthy than the other, clearly there needs to be a re-balancing of the proportion here. The Government has pledged to increase spending by about £14 millions by next year. Clearly a drop in the ocean, and not something that is going to help the massive push needed to come up with either a preventative drug or a cure for this extremely debilitating disease.

Until next week…

Longitude Prize 2014 – Vote now!!!

How to chose? With all 6 of the “challenges” – Food, Paralysis, Dementia, Flight, Antibiotics and Water – being worthy of further financial investment, how do you possibly choose between them? How about *YOU* invest just under an hour of your time and then make your mind up!

Personally for me, it’s between Dementia and Antibiotics, though I haven’t actually decided yet! You may feel that £10 millions won’t make much of a difference to any of the above, given their magnitude. However, I feel that it’s more about getting people involved in deciding which of the projects they feel is deserving of the investment. Better to have at least some element of public involvement, rather than it being decided by others on our behalf. Who knows, the entrant that wins this year’s Longitude Prize and receives the £10 millions award may go on to discover new treatments, processes or technology that turn out to be as revolutionary as that produced by John Harrison, a clockmaker and winner of the very first Longitude Prize:

http://www.rmg.co.uk/explore/astronomy-and-time/time-facts/harrison

Voting closes at 19.10hrs on June 25, 2014 so please, please, please get involved and VOTE NOW!

http://www.longitudeprize.org/

 

Watch this space…

Welcome to my new website 😀

Over the coming days, weeks and months, I intend to start sharing my thoughts and opinions a bit more on the matters I have been tweeting/retweeting and posting on up until now. For those of you that are kindly already following me on Twitter (@radiographerben) or have liked my FaceBook Community page of the same name, then thank you! Please share my Twitter/FaceBook/Website details with your friends and colleagues and anyone else that you think might be interested in the kind of topics I have been covering up to now.

My main interests cover areas such as patient-care, communication, dementia, care of the elderly, all things A&E (including access to services and the trauma radiography itself), end-of- life care, mental health, education and learning. This is by no means an exhaustive list!

I would welcome feedback on the content of my website as it develops over the coming months, and am open to suggestions about further topics to cover and comment on. Please feel free to get involved and get in touch!

And remember…

“It’s not just about bones!”