Healing Connections

As I begin my independence training, the things I am focusing most on is ADL or adult daily living skills such as cooking, laundry, and house-cleaning. I was given a great deal of advice concerning this particular issue by my local National Federation for the Blind (NFB) chapter. The most prevalent piece of advice was to designate a particular time each day devoted solely to a lesson having to do with ADL skills. Theoretically, it’s a wonderful idea, but practically it is completely impossible.

This is mainly due to the TIME factor. For example, Mom has been cleaning house for so long that it is just second nature to her. She has perfected her technique to the point that she finishes her tasks quickly, making good use of the time she has allotted. However, guiding someone slowly through each step of the process takes a long time. An in-depth ADL lesson could take up the biggest part of the day; time many of us can ill-afford in today’s busy world. I’m sure all the busy parents reading this right now can empathize with my mom.

I was rather stumped for ideas. “How am I ever going to learn all the things I need to know in order to be independent?” I asked Mom.

She thought for awhile and then said that she felt maybe we were going about it all wrong. She said that, despite the advice I had been given, learning is a lengthy process. Just as I didn’t jump up and start walking, but had to learn in steps, first crawling and then pulling up and falling down and learning how to get up again, that is how I would have to learn other things too.

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An international group of scientists found that a new gene called calcium homeostasis modulator 1 (CALHM1), with a previously unknown function, is linked to late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease making this the second discovery of a strong genetic risk factor for the disease.

The study was the work of researchers from the US, France, Italy, UK, and Australia, led by Dr Philippe Marambaud of The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, and is published online in the June 27 issue of the journal Cell.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the build up of senile plaques made of amyloid-beta peptides and a massive loss of neurons or brain cells.

The early-onset form of Alzheimer’s is thought to be linked to a few dominant gene mutations, but the vast majority of late-onset cases are believed to stem from complex interactions of genes and environment factors.

The study reports that CALHM1 is active mostly in a calcium channel in part of the brain that is affected early in the development of Alzheimer’s. The researchers discovered that variants of CALHM1 influence levels of calcium, amyloid-beta peptides, and susceptibility to the disease.

This study coincides with the publication of another paper in the 26th June issue of a sister journal Neuron, where scientists report finding an imbalance of calcium in early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease that is linked to a calcium release ion channel.

Marambaud said in a statement that:

“We are very excited about the idea that CALHM1 could be an important target for anti-amyloid therapy in Alzheimer’s disease.”

He said because CALHM1 is restricted to the brain, drugs that target it would most likely have fewer side effects, which is a big question mark with drugs that are currently being trialled because these target enzymes involved in production of amyloid-beta peptides, and these enzymes are also present in other parts of the body.

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Picking up an infection is the public’s main concern about hospital care, a UK-wide BBC poll shows.

Of the 1,040 people quizzed, 40% listed the risk of potentially deadly infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile as their top NHS concern.

In a separate finding, 31% said they would consider avoiding NHS surgery for fear of getting an infection.

The government said it had introduced a raft of measures which were already having an impact in reducing infection.

Despite the concerns raised by the survey, 82% of respondents said they were proud of the health service, with half claiming it was still the envy of the world.

The most widely-cited concern after infections was the wait people face for treatment.

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