Calendar:
Support ACA’s virtual auction starting December 4, Wrapping Up 2020. https://alzca.org/auction/
ACA’s 2021 calendar of Alzheimer’s Art is available for purchase. The calendars are $10 and make wonderful holiday gifts. See the details at www.alzca.org/calendar/
Webinar, Dementia Care & the Holidays, with Teepa Snow, Wednesday, December 9, 1:00 pm CT. https://teepasnow.com/event/live-webinar-senior-helpers/
AFA has 2 upcoming webinars. Register here https: https://alzfdn.org/
- Living with Alzheimer’s disease: Coping with Loss Through the Use of Art Therapy, Thursday, December 10, noon CT.
- Nursing Home Residents Rights in the Time Of COVID – Visitation, Transfer & Discahrge, Wednesday, Decenber 16, 1:00 CT
Christmas Concert sponsored by Positive Maturity and Jefferson County, featuring The Clutch Band, Friday December 11 at 11:00 CT, 205-325-5567.
Zoom Support Groups available online:
- ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, Decmber 8, 11 – noon CT. Call (205) 871-7970 or mpiggott@alzca.org. Join us on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88250086658
- CJFS CARES, Mondays at 1:30 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, 1st Tuesday of each month, 2:00 pm, contact Bit Thomaston, Ethomaston50@gmail.com
- West Alabama Area Agency on Aging, Caregiver Support Group, Tuesdays, contact Nikki Poe, nikki.poe@westal.org.
- Leeds, 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:30 pm, contact Bit Thomaston, ethomaston50@gmail.com
- Asbury United Methodist Church every other Wednesday at 11:30, contact Maggie Dunaway at mdunaway@asburyonline.org.
- CJFS CARES, Thursdays, 7:30 pm, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
Alzheimer’s News:
Being Patient offers 2 articles on staying connected this holiday season:Dr. Eric Larson at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute discusses how meaningful the act of reminiscence can be for older adults, including those with dementia — and how meaningful it can be, likewise, for the listeners who share in their stories. Read Dr. Larson’s beautiful essay on reminiscence >>
How to Zoom With Your Grandparents This Holiday Season
This holiday season, shifting family time to a digital space keeps older relatives safe while including them in the festivities . Check out advice from experts on how to make a family video call the best it can be >>
The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) has submitted recommendations to President-Elect Joe Biden’s transition team and his COVID-19 Task Force, encouraging the incoming administration to make the health and well-being of caregivers a public health priority, and in pandemic response. RCI advocates for more than 53 million unpaid family caregivers across America. Building upon the RAISE Family Caregivers Act, signed into law by President Trump in January 2018, RCI is hopeful that President-Elect Biden’s plan for caregiving will yield meaningful policy changes in the new year. A recent RCI survey of over 400 caregivers found that 83% of them have felt more stressed during the pandemic and 42% said that other family members are no longer around to help. Many of these caregivers also feel both isolated and guilty. They want to leave the house but are afraid they’ll bring home the deadly virus and harm their loved ones. As a result, many of them have avoided going out for months, cutting themselves off from favorite activities and sources of support.
During deep sleep, the brain appears to wash away waste products that increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. A host of new research studies suggest that this stage of sleep — when dreams are rare and the brain follows a slow, steady beat – can help reduce levels of beta-amyloid and tau, two hallmarks of the disease. There is something about this deep sleep that is helping protect you. READ MORE
Inequalities related to education, income, food insecurity, and the physical environment are collectively known as social determinants of health and are inextricably tied to location, according to the report from UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Center for Brain Health Equity and the Urban Institute, which compared counties with the highest Alzheimer’s rates among Blacks, Latinos, and non-Latino Whites to counties with the lowest rates among these populations. Understanding how location impacts Alzheimer’s is critical given the disorder’s growing burden on families, healthcare systems, and the economy. About 5.8 million people in the U.S. are currently living with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. The authors’ previous research had projected that by 2030, an estimated 40% of the eight million Americans with Alzheimer’s or related dementias will be Latino or Black.
In terms of a dietary style with solid scientific evidence related to promoting brain health, nothing comes closer than the Mediterranean diet (MeDi). Essentially, this diet references dietary tendencies among people who live in the Mediterranean region (think Italy, Greece, France, Spain, and the Middle East). The diet is mostly plant-based and consists of lots of fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains. Olive oil is emphasized, particularly for cooking. Fish is a preferred protein source, although chicken or turkey work too. READ MORE
While genetics, advancing age and other factors account for most cases of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study reported that 40 percent of the cases of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia could be prevented or delayed by targeting 12 modifiable risk factors throughout life. The findings underscore the potential importance of lifestyle factors in helping to keep memory sharp into old age. 40 Percent of Alzheimer’s Cases Could Be Prevented or Delayed | Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (alzinfo.org)
Joy for All Companion Pets are robotic cats or dogs that can bring companionship, fun and laughter. The pets are available for purchase at CVS or through Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama (aca@alzca.org) or through Dementia Friendly Alabama abbey.rogers@adss.alabama.gov.