Virtual Walk 2 Remember benefiting Caring Days Adult Day Care Center, Saturday, August 28, www.caringdays.org or 205-752-6840. See attached flyer.
UAB School of Medicine Webinar: Alzheimer’s 101—the basics, the research, the pathway to caring for your loved one, Tuesday, August 31 from 6-7 pm. David Geldmacher, M.D., FACP, professor in the Department of Neurology and division director of Memory Disorders, will share insights on Alzheimer’s disease and the Aduhelm drug as an effective treatment. Erik Roberson, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the Department of Neurology and the department’s division director of CNET, will discuss the history and research bolstering the evolving treatment options. Click here to register.
In-person and zoom Support Groups:
· ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, August 31, 11 – noon CT. Call (205) 871-7970 or mpiggott@alzca.org. Join us on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86450491838
· CJFS CARES, Mondays at 3 pm, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
· Founders Place at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Tuesday’s at 10 am, contact Susan Logan, susanlogan65@gmail.com
· Pell City, (in person)-1st Tuesday of each month, 11:00 am, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Parish Hall, Cropwell. Contact Bit Thomaston, Ethomaston50@gmail.com
· West Alabama Area Agency on Aging, Caregiver Support Group, Tuesdays, contact Nikki Poe, nikki.poe@westal.org.
· CJFS CARES, Tuesdays, 7:00 pm, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
· Leeds, (in person) 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:30 pm, St. Teresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church, contact Bit Thomaston,ethomaston50@gmail.com
· United Way Area Agency on Aging of Jefferson County, 3rd Tuesday of each month 11:30-12:30, contact Valarie Lawson, vlawson@uwaaa.org
· Asbury United Methodist Church 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 1:00, contact Maggie Dunaway at mdunaway@asburyonline.org.
Alzheimer’s News:
In a LiveTalk with Being Patient, caregiving expert Teepa Snow explains there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to guide caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. In her upcoming book, Understanding the Changing Brain: A Positive Approach to Dementia Care (out September 14, 2021), Teepa demonstrates how we respond to the changes a dementia diagnosis can set the tone for care, either causing distress or creating more pleasant and productive interactions. Her advice: reframe your approach; slow it down; recognize feelings of being out of control.
A new survey of the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s A-LIST® shows nearly 90 percent of the wider Alzheimer’s and dementia community see the importance of early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. In a key finding, nearly a third of the respondents (31.7 percent) think early diagnosis has become more important in the past year. Early diagnosis allows for time to prepare, (get) legal forms in order, POA, make end of life decisions and future care decisions (choose assisted living). Take family photos. Create memories for family to hold (go on a few more family trips). Improve diet and increase mental stimulation early. https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/press/new-survey-finds-9-10-alzheimers-and-dementia-community-see-importance-early-detection
Hyposmia (decreased sense of smell) may appear with mild cognitive impairment and can worsen as the condition progresses. Researchers used a mouse model and discovered higher levels of beta-amyloid indicated lower activation of olfactory sensory neurons and thus, a lower sense of smell. One well-known past study, was the peanut butter Alzheimer’s test at the University of Florida, in which older adults were asked to smell a dollop of peanut butter to help detect early-stage Alzheimer’s. Researchers have also found that older people who can smell scents such as roses, turpentine, paint thinner and lemons are less likely to develop dementia. 9/10 of People With Alzheimer’s Lose Some of Their Sense of Smell—Is Beta-Amyloid the Culprit? – Being Patient
Rita Jablonski’s, PhD, CRNP, latest blog offers all the scoop on poop. One aspect about potty training that is important to think about when dealing with dementia – children are taught that pooping in their pants or having an accident is a bad and shameful thing. This is a deeply rooted memory that is reinforced throughout one’s life. Dementia & Poop: How to Avoid Accidents and Stop Smearing (makedementiayourbitch.com)
You can view most of the sessions from AFTD’s 2021 Education Conference here: aftdconference.org.
Check out this Memory Care Guide, a free resource guide that highlights the best memory care facilities in Alabama: https://www.memorycare.com/memory-care-in-alabama/
Individuals with cognitively-stimulating jobs are at a lower risk of developing dementia than their peers with less challenging employment. These new research support the hypothesis that mental stimulation in adulthood may postpone the onset of dementia. Stimulating Jobs May Help Stave Off Dementia Onset (medscape.com)
Read the 2021 Guideline for the Prevention of Stroke in Patients With Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Transplanting fecal microbiota may reverse age-related declines in immunity, behavior, and cognition, a new animal study suggests. Investigators conducted fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from young donor mice into aged recipient mice and found that the gut microbiomes of the elderly mice began to resemble those of the younger ones. In addition, the hippocampi of the elderly mice became more physically and chemically similar to that of the young mice. After FMT, the elderly mice also performed more proficiently on tasks such as mazes and were better able to remember the maze layout on subsequent attempts. The results reveal that the microbiome may be a suitable therapeutic target to promote healthy aging. Can Fecal Transplant Reverse Signs of Brain Aging? (medscape.com)
Diet is a modifiable risk factor for dementia we can actually do something about! A proinflammatory diet, as measured by the dietary inflammatory index (DII), is associated with increased risk of all-cause dementia, although not Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new analysis of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort. The 5 components of the DII which are most anti-inflammatory are: green leafy vegetables, vegetables, fruit, soy, whole grains, and green and black tea. Most of these components are included in the Mediterranean diet. The most proinflammatory dietary components are also high caloric products: butter or margarine, pastries and sweets, fried snacks, and red or processed meat. These components are present in ‘Western diets’. Inflammatory Diet Linked to Increased All-Cause Dementia Risk (medscape.com)