When a relative is diagnosed with a disease it's not uncommon to wonder about our own risks of developing the same illness.Today, Magdalen Carter MSW, RSW, Director,  Alzheimer Outreach Services of McCormick Home in London, Ontario addresses those concerns as they relate to Alzheimer's. We welcome Magdalen to caregiverexchange.ca and hope to hear from her again in the future!

Preventing Alzheimer's: What we know so far
guest blogger Magdalen Carter MSW, RSW 

Caregivers often ask what can be done to prevent Alzheimer disease and related dementias? Unfortunately, there are no clear answers on prevention as of yet. However, this past April, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a panel of experts to examine what existed in current research literature about preventive approaches such as exercise, diet and brain games. Their findings, published in Scientific American, concluded that the studies conducted to date were not conclusive enough to support a strong statement on their use for the purposes of preventing Alzheimer’s.

But not all is lost. The good news is that the scientific community is looking with a new lens at the issue of prevention and is promoting more resources and investment towards research in this area. And the recommendations by the Alzheimer Society of Canada regarding prevention are in line with what we generally consider to be healthy lifestyle choices that may also help prevent other diseases. Therefore, we have very little to lose by embracing the Society’s recommendations while waiting for science to provide us with further guidance. -mc-