Living a healthy lifestyle have helped slow Alzheimer’s

( everyday we have the same routine )

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Bill Heibein was diagnosed with Alzheimer‘s disease more than 10 years ago. Now in his sixties, he says an early diagnosis and living a healthy lifestyle have helped slow the disease.

“I first noticed something was different when I was working at Ernst and Young (accounting) and my secretary had to keep reminding me about appointments,” Heibein said Friday at an Alzheimer Society open house. “I started using sticky notes to remind myself what I had to do, but my wife also noticed something was different, too.”

Heibein retired from Ernst and Young shortly after he was diagnosed. He began working full time with his wife on their farm. “Everyday we have the same routine,” he said, “and that has helped.” When Heibein first started taking Aricept, a medication to treat Alzheimer‘s, he would see repeated flashes of light whenever he‘d close his eyes.

His doctor decided to increase the dosage and after six months the flashes of light went away. “I think the medication has slowed or even halted the disease‘s progression,” Heibein said. He attends a regular support group organized by the Alzheimer Society, which includes updates on research and notification about local events. Heibein is the chairman of this year‘s Manulife Walk for Memories, which will be Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. until noon. “We‘re hoping to raise $45,000 this year,” he said. Money raised helps support local services for people in Thunder Bay. There are currently a few thousand people who have Alzheimer‘s in this area, although that may increase.

The Alzheimer Society of Canada commissioned a study that says the amount of people who have Alzheimer‘s is going to rapidly increase. There are currently 500,000 Canadians who have Alzheimer‘s disease or related dementia and it costs $153 billion a year to care for them. Within a generation, the amount of people who have dementia is expected to more than double to 1.1 million, and the cost will climb to $153 billion per year, the study says.

Executive director Alison Denton of the local Alzheimer Society said people can show signs of the disease in their 40s or older. Denton said medication, physical activity and doing crossword puzzles are ways to fight the symptoms. The Alzheimer Society has a Wii Entertainment System individuals can use to see the benefits. Denton is hopeful many people will participate in the Manulife Walk for Memories fundraiser. ...http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories_local.php?id=236829