Alzheimer's of Central Alabama

Serving people with Alzheimer’s, caregivers and professionals in central Alabama through education, caregiver services and research grants.

ACA’s Weekly Email, August 30, 2024

Ales of Alzheimer’s September 13, at Brock’s Gap Brewery, 6 – 9 pm.  Get in on the fun and help raise money to fund ACA’s Lindy Harrell Pre-Doctoral Scholars in Alzheimer’s Research at UAB.   Sip local brews and enjoy music from The Negotiators.  Suggested minimum donation of $5.  Event includes a cool auction and raffle for $1,000 Amazon gift card.  https://alzca.org/ales/

The Virtual Dementia Tour will be offered by Cahaba Ridge by the Community Services Department of Senior Services, August 29, 1:30 – 3:30, 3090 Healthy Way.  Call 205-397-3603.

M4A’s Annual Long Term Care Conference, September 10, 9 – 2 pm, Pell City: https://www.humanresourceoptions.com/upcomingseminars

The DAWN Method: Equipping Family Caregivers of Loved Ones with Brain Change, presented on Zoom, Wednesdays, 2:30-4:30pm, September 11 – October 30.  In this evidence-based INTERACTIVE course, family caregivers will learn strategies to provide care more confidently, calmly and effectively and with fewer conflicts.  Course fee is $400 (for 16 hours of instruction). NOTE: Financial Assistance is available.   Presented by Founder’s Place at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.  For more details or to reserve your spot, contact Susanna Whitsett  (205)-802-6217 or  foundersplace@saint-lukes.com

Support Group Meetings:

August Webinars from Alabama Lifespan Respite: https://alabamarespite.org/events2/

Alzheimer’s News:

7 Labor Day Trip Tips for Those Traveling with a Loved One with Dementia from AFA:  https://alzfdn.org/7-labor-day-trip-tips-for-those-traveling-with-a-loved-one-with-dementia/

Each September, people unite from all corners of the world to raise awareness and to challenge the stigma that persists around Alzheimer’s disease and all types of dementia.  During World Alzheimer’s Month, Alzheimer’s International is shining a light on attitudes to dementia around the world. The 2024 campaign and World Alzheimer Report, which will be launched on the eve of World Alzheimer’s Day, September 20, will again challenge why so many people still wrongly believe that dementia is a part of normal aging. https://www.alzint.org/get-involved/world-alzheimers-month/#:~:text=World%20Alzheimer’s%20Month%20is%20the,that%20takes%20place%20every%20September.

Human brain samples collected at autopsy in early 2024 contained more tiny shards of plastic than samples collected eight years prior, according to a study which has not yet been peer-reviewed and published in a journal.  The concentrations found .in the brain tissue of normal individuals, who had an average age of around 45 or 50 years old, were 4,800 micrograms per gram, or 0.5% by weight.  Compared to autopsy brain samples from 2016, that’s about 50% higher.  That would mean that our brains today are 99.5% brain and the rest is plastic. That increase, however, only shows exposure and does not provide information about brain damage.  It is unclear if, in life, these particles are fluid, entering and leaving the brain, or if they collect in neurological tissues and promote disease. Further research is needed to understand how the particles may be interacting with the cells and if this has a toxicological consequence.  The brain samples contained 7 to 30 times more tiny shards of plastic than samples from the cadavers’ kidneys and liver.  Studies have found these plastics in the human heart, the great blood vessels, the lungs, the liver, the testes, the gastrointestinal tract and the placenta.  The American Chemistry Council, an industry association, said while “some studies on microplastics have recently garnered headlines, just last month the FDA noted, ‘Current scientific evidence does not demonstrate that levels of microplastics or nanoplastics detected in foods pose a risk to human health.’  Research underway not only helps address current data gaps in our understanding of exposure to microplastics but it also aims to develop improved tools to measure the toxicity of microplastics to humans.”  https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/23/health/plastics-in-brain-wellness/index.html 

The Cleveland Clinic’s free Stress Free Now app provides guided mindfulness and meditation sessions to help you practice clinically proven relaxation techniques to help you reduce stress.  Download it: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/mobile-apps/stress-free-now-app?mc_cid=4054b11312&mc_eid=9411ff17b8

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model, which aims to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia, reduce strain on unpaid caregivers and help people remain in their homes and communities through a comprehensive package of care coordination and management, caregiver education and support and respite services. Through the GUIDE Model, CMS will test an alternative payment for participants who deliver key support services to people with dementia, including comprehensive person-centered assessments and care plans, care coordination and 24/7 access to a support line. In addition to testing an alternative payment method, the GUIDE Model also connects people living with dementia and their caregivers to care navigators who help them access services and supports, including clinical and nonclinical services. https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/guide

There are 3 participating Alabama providers, including LifeCare Solutions.  See the complete list here:  https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cms.gov%2Ffiles%2Fdocument%2Fguide-participant-list.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

The John A. Hartford Foundation commissioned a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults aged 50 and older to understand their views on dementia care and support.Adults 50 years or older overwhelmingly want the government to support family caregiving and workforce benefits related to dementia care and say being able to remain in their homes is important to them. They also want support from health care and social service providers to meet their needs.  https://www.johnahartford.org/dissemination-center/view/age-friendly-insights-poll-adults-50-on-dementia-care

Advocacy groups for patients with neurologic disorders have become a common feature in the landscape of drug and device development and federal research funding allocation.  On Capitol Hill, advocates have racked up some impressive legislative wins that aim to set a federal agenda for developing new medications.  At the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), advocacy groups played a significant role in several recent high-profile and controversial approvals for drugs for Alzheimer’s disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  Such gains suggest these groups are growing in power. But with these wins come questions about whether large advocacy organizations — some of which receive significant industry funding — wield too much influence.  The Alzheimer’s Association spent years advocating for approval of the anti-amyloid agent aducanumab (Aduhelm, Biogen/Eisai). In 2020, the organization urged patients and caregivers to submit written and oral testimony to the FDA advisory panel that was reviewing the drug. Despite patients’ pleas, the panel ultimately declined to support the drug’s approval, citing safety concerns and limited evidence of efficacy.  As controversy swirled around the medication — which had the potential for life-threatening brain swelling — advocates continued to apply pressure. Going against the expert panel’s recommendation, in June 2021, the FDA granted accelerated approval prompting three of the panelists to resign in protest.  Aducanumab’s initial price — $56,000 a year — was seen as a major threat to the viability of Medicare. Still, the Alzheimer’s Association stood behind the decision to approve the drug. But by early 2024, Biogen/Eisai said they would stop selling aducanumab, citing other priorities.  According to one ethicist, if the FDA allows drugs on the market just because patients are willing to try, “5 or 10 years down the road, it’s not at all clear that we would end up with drugs that are better, or drugs that work.”  https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/do-neurology-patient-advocacy-groups-wield-too-much-power-2024a1000fk9?ecd=wnl_dne6_240829_MSCPEDIT_etid6786712&uac=407526BK&impID=6786712

Older men and women at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease may benefit from fish oil supplements, according to a new report. The study found that daily fish oil supplements appeared to help protect the brain in older people who carried the APOE-E4 gene variant, which puts people at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.  The study was small, involving 102 men and women aged 75 and older. But the findings add to growing evidence that fish and the “good” fats they contain, known as omega-3 fatty acids, are good for the brain.

Seniors who live with untreated high blood pressure are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new analysis. The study found that adults aged 60 and older with untreated high blood pressure had a 36 percent higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to their peers who did not have high blood pressure and a 42 percent higher risk compared to those treating high blood pressure with medication.  https://www.alzinfo.org/articles/diagnosis/why-blood-pressure-checks-are-so-important-for-older-adults/

Survey participants sought:   Marissa Todd is a current graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Alzheimer’s, dementia and its relationship to dysphagia, or swallowing impairment.  She has created a survey for caregivers of persons with dementia to identify disparities which may affect caregivers’ dysphagia, or swallowing impairment awareness and education. There are no incentives associated with this survey; however, responses will help direct future research to support caregivers’ awareness, access, and quality of education regarding swallowing needs and concerns.  Contact Marissa Todd if you have any follow-up questions or concerns (mctodd3@wisc.edu). Survey Link (English): https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dj0BiyysKggmMjs

Vestavia Hills Methodist Church’s opens Restore, a new respite ministry.  The program will be open on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from 10 – 2 for $40.  Participants must be able to eat, toilet and ambulate independently.  There are also opportunities for volunteers to support this ministry.  Contact Nancy Mosely at 205-769-0153 or nmosley@vhnc.org.  Check here for a complete list of respite programs and adult day care centers: https://alzca.org/adult-day-care-centers/

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