November marks the beginning of a new holiday season full of hustle and bustle. It can be a lonely time for a senior who lives far away from family or does not feel able to participate in holiday activities. But there are many ways to reach out to a senior at this time of year. Helping decorate, baking traditional recipes together, or simply reminiscing are all easy ways to bring joy to seniors and help them feel a part of the celebration.

November is also Alzheimer's Awareness Month. National research shows that only one out of ten caregivers has any type of instruction or information to help combat the challenging behavioral patterns of a person with memory loss. Aunt Ann's aims to change that statistic by providing resources and education on Alzheimer's and Alzheimer's caregiving.

In the spirit of education and cooperation, we hope you will find the following articles informative and beneficial.

Itani Dental San Francisco is committed to offering access to dental care for the special needs population including the phobic, frail, geriatric and homebound. With years of experience, Dr. Itani has designed a personalized, compassionate approach to dentistry, offering a full range of individualized dental services at our office, our affiliated hospitals, our patient's private home and senior facilities. They offer home care dental visits, home care dental hygiene, emergency treatment, in-office sedation and hospital dentistry utilizing General Anesthesia. Please visit them at www.itanidental.com or call 415-685-0011.

Diabetes and Alzheimer's disease are very different disorders; however, they may have something very interesting in common - treatment. New research suggests that insulin, the same drug used to treat diabetes, may also be effective in staving off the symptoms of Alzheimer's.

Participants in the study who took a daily dose of insulin nasal spray over the course of four months maintained higher scores on general cognitive ability tests. Brain scans also revealed that those in the insulin-treated group preserved their ability to properly process glucose in the brain, a function which helps brain cells perform functions related to memory.

Click on this link to read more about this breakthrough study, or watch this video from PBS.

Eldercare is becoming a big issue for corporate America. Increasingly, employees find themselves struggling to juggle both work and caring for their aging loved ones. Distractions at work and time off related to providing care are costing U.S. businesses an estimated $34 billion per year. Oddly enough, most corporations have yet to recognize that incorporating an eldercare program into their benefits plan can save time and money while providing employees with a much needed perk.

Read more about the impending eldercare crisis in the workplace in this article from the Huffington Post.

From patient monitors to easy-to-read door signs to memory stimulation tools, The Alzheimer's Store carefully selects each of their products to make living with Alzheimer's disease as comfortable and safe as possible.

Learn more here. 

Just like the rest of your body, the mind needs exercise to stay healthy. Luminosity offers free games and tests that give your brain a workout and help improve memory, problem solving, attention and speed.

Read more here. 

Do you have Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)?

1. Do you need to frequently moisten your mouth?        
2. Do you frequently feel thirsty?                
3. Do you get up at night to drink water?             
4. Does your mouth feel dry at meal time?             
5. Do you experience difficulty chewing?             
6. Do you experience difficulty swallowing?             
7. Do you have trouble eating dry foods like crackers & toast?
8. Do you feel like you have less saliva than before?         
9. Do you complain of dry or cracked lips?             
10. Does your mouth feel dry and parched?             
11. Has there been a change in your sense of taste?         
12. Does your mouth ever feel a burning sensation?         
13. Do you sometimes have difficulty speaking?         
14. Do you suffer from bad breath?                 
15. Have you had a recent increase in gum decay?         
16. Do you have difficulty with your dentures?             
17. Are you a mouth-breather?   

• Brushing with baking soda toothpaste can reduce bacteria.
• Keep the mouth moist and replace lost salivary enzymes with a saliva substitute, such as Biotene.
• Gums, mints, sprays, etc. containing xylitol are anti-cariogenic and stimulate saliva.
• Use fluoride paste, gel or rinse, such as Prevident.
• Calcium Phosphate, such as MI Paste, moistens the mouth and protects the teeth.
• Individualized custom fluoride trays.
• Rest your mouth - remove dentures at night.