In-person and zoom Support Groups:
- ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, March 1, 11 – noon CT. Call (205) 871-7970 or mpiggott@alzca.org. Join us on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86450491838
- Pell City group, February 22, at 6:30. Going forward this group will meet on the first Thursdays of the month at 6:30; and the third Tuesday’s of the month at 6:30. Contact Bit Thomaston, ethomason50@gmail.com
- 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
- West Alabama Area Agency on Aging, Caregiver Support Group, Tuesdays, contact Nikki Poe, nikki.poe@westal.org.
- The Oaks on Parkwood, 4th Tuesday’s, 10:00 am, Contact: Karen Glover, karenrglover@bellsouth.net.
- CJFS CARES, Tuesdays, 7:00 pm, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
- United Way Area Agency on Aging of Jefferson County, 3rd Tuesday of each month 11:30-12:30, contact Valarie Lawson, vlawson@uwaaa.org
- M4A, 2nd Thursday’s, noon – 1 pm. Contact Crystal Whitehead, cwhitehead@m4a.org
- M4A, 3rd Wednesday’s 2:00 – 3:00 pm. Contact Crystal Whitehead, cwhitehead@m4a.org
- Asbury United Methodist Church 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 1:00, contact Maggie Dunaway at mdunaway@asburyonline.org.
February Webinars from Alabama Lifespan Respite (https://alabamarespite.org/events2/):
- Managing Depression as a Caregiver, February 26, 10 am
- Mental Illness and Caregiving, February 27, 6 pm
March 10, noon, AFA’s March Care Connection Webinar, featuring Matthew Raphan, elder law attorney, discussing how we can best prepare for the future: Medicaid planning, trusts, assets, and rights while residing in facilities. Alzheimer’s Foundation of America | Care Connection Webinars (alzfdn.org)
March 17, Dementia Caregiver Lunch & Learn, 10:30 – 1:45, All Saints Episcopal Church, $10, scholarships are available. Presenter: Amanda Bulgarelli, COO of Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care. Sponsored by Founders Place Respite at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama and All Saints Episcopal Church. RSVP to Susanna Whitsett by March 10: swhitsett@saint-lukes.com or 205-802-6217.
Alzheimer’s News:
Caregivers may not have the time or energy to set traditional goals for themselves, but repeating encouraging affirmations can be a simple yet powerful tool for self-encouragement. Take a moment to sit in your favorite chair, read through this list, perhaps over a cup of coffee or tea, and remember to breathe! 10 Affirmations for Caregivers – Alzheimer’s Orange County (alzoc.org)
According to a 2014 report by the Analysis Research and Planning Corporation, about 14% of all former NFL players will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and another 14% will develop moderate dementia. Compared with the general public, professional football players are twice as likely to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, or dementia. The NFL’s settlement from a lawsuit allowed for up to $1 billion to be paid out to retired players who now suffer from medical conditions related to head injuries. Now the NFL is set to deliver education programs and information about dementia to more than 9,000 NFL Alumni members and the public. Raising Dementia Awareness Among NFL Alumni – Alzheimer’s News Today (alzheimersnewstoday.com)
Not everything that comes in a box, bag or can wreaks havoc on a healthy diet. AARP offers 13 Processed Foods That Are Actually Healthy. 13 Processed Foods That Are Actually Good for You (aarp.org)
Valerie Boyd, with Encore at Canterbury United Methodist Church recently shared a great video reminder of the importance of true empathy: https://youtu.be/1Evwgu369Jw
Advanced imaging technology developed by Yale researchers helped confirm that the destruction of brain synapses underlies the cognitive deficits experienced by patients with Alzheimer’s disease. For many years, scientists have assumed that the loss of connections between brain cells caused Alzheimer’s-related symptoms, including memory loss, but actual evidence of the role of synaptic loss had been limited to a small number of brain biopsies and post-mortem brain exams. However, the emergence of a positron emission tomography (PET) scanning technology has allowed researchers to observe the loss of synapses in living patients with even mild symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. New imaging scan reveals a culprit in cognitive decline of Alzheimer’s | YaleNews
Preventing mental disorders in young people might reduce or delay the burden of dementia in older people, according to a new study. The study followed 1.7 million people, aged 21 to 60 years at baseline—followed across three decades (1988 to 2018) to determine whether individuals with mental disorders are at increased risk for subsequent dementia. Mental disorders were more strongly associated with dementia than chronic physical diseases—an outcome the researchers did not expect. Mental disorders may increase risk for subsequent dementia | Global Michigan (umich.edu)
Sexual problems are common in people with Parkinson’s, but they can be difficult to talk about. Listen to a podcast from the Michael J. Fox Foundation about how Parkinson’s impacts intimate relationships and what strategies and treatments can help.This podcast episode takes a closer look at Parkinson’s in the bedroom — covering topics from sleep to mood changes and their impact on sex and intimacy. Parkinson’s Pillow Talk: An Open Conversation on Sex, Sleep and Intimacy | Parkinson’s Disease (michaeljfox.org
New research indicates that a heart attack can cause more rapid decline in cognitive skills in the years after the incident. Experts say that’s because heart and brain health are closely connected. This is yet another reason for people to have heart healthy lifestyles. Heart Attack Can Cause Quicker Cognitive Decline (healthline.com)
Support ACA by using AmazonSmile! Designate Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama and Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases. smile.amazon.com