Happy Independence Day!!
Glow for a Cure, July 29, Highland Golf Course. Mark your calendar for ACA’s Jr. Board nighttime golf. https://alzca.org/glow/
July Webinars from Alabama Lifespan Respite: https://alabamarespite.org/events2/
In-person and zoom Support Groups:
- ACA’s group with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, July 12, 11 – noon CT. Call (205) 871-7970 or mpiggott@alzca.org. Join us on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86450491838
- Pell City group, first Thursdays of the month at 6:30; and the third Tuesdays 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 Betsy Smith, Smith35213@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 Church1st and 3rd Thursdays at 1:00, contact Maggie Dunaway at mdunaway@asburyonline.org.
Alzheimer’s News:
DailyCaring offers creative ways to adapt Independence Day activities so your loved one with dementia can join in the fun! https://dailycaring.com/fantastic-4th-of-july-activities-for-seniors/
The fight to end Alzheimer’s got a major boost June 30 as the U.S. House Appropriations Committee passed significant funding increases for Alzheimer’s research, prevention, and treatment. This includes:
$3.7 billion for the National Institute on Aging (NIA) – an increase of $200 million that will allow the agency to continue working to achieve the national goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s by 2025;
$35.5M for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Alzheimer’s program – an increase of $5 million to build on the Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program work to promote the health of older Americans across multiple chronic conditions;
$2.75 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) – an increase of $1.75 billion to accelerate the development of treatments and cures for some of our country’s deadliest diseases, like cancer and Alzheimer’s. https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/press/major-win-alzheimers-patients-us-house-committee-announces-significant-investments-fighting
AFA’s announces 2022 Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship winners! Over 1,700 high school students from across the United States submitted essays about their experiences with Alzheimer’s . The essays went through 3 rounds of review and were read by our staff and volunteers. AFA awarded a total of $89,950 in scholarships to 117 teens. https://alzfdn.org/young-leaders-of-afa/scholarship-contest/
A new study provides more evidence that influenza vaccination may help protect older adults against Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In a large propensity-matched cohort of older adults, those who had received at least one influenza inoculation were 40% less likely than unvaccinated peers to develop AD over the course of 4 years. Influenza infection can cause serious health complications, particularly in adults 65 and older. The study’s findings ― that vaccination against the flu virus may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia for at least a few years ― adds to the already compelling reasons get the flu vaccine annually. More Evidence the Flu Vaccine May Guard Against Alzheimer’s (medscape.com)
A phase 3 study of brexpiprazole — brand name Rexulti — in Alzheimer’s patients showed that the drug for major depressive disorder reduced agitation in Alzheimer’s dementia at a statistically significant rate compared to a placebo. Among dementia’s behavioral and psychological symptoms agitation, along with psychosis, are associated with accelerated caregiver burden, earlier long-term care facility placement, progression of the disease progression — and they’re linked to an increase in tau tangles — one of Alzheimer’s disease’s key biomarkers — in the brain. So far, however, there is no safe, effective treatment for these common symptoms approved specifically for use in Alzheimer’s. So, to treat Alzheimer’s agitation and psychosis, it’s not unusual for more general antipsychotics to be prescribed, but — while widely used (and alarmingly, widely misused) — but there are a problems and risks with antipsychotics in Alzheimer’s. For Alzheimer’s Agitation, Promising Data from Rexulti – Being Patient
Nearly half of all older adults receiving hospice care are living with dementia. A recent study of Medicare beneficiaries examined the quality of care in the last month of life between patients living with dementia on hospice and patients with dementia not on hospice. Hospice enrollee proxies, a spouse or adult child caregiver in most cases, reported excellent standards of care and anxiety management at higher rates than non-hospice enrollees. The study also found that hospice enrollees were less likely to be moved to a different setting in their last days of life. Hospice Improves Quality of Care in Patients With Dementia | UC San Francisco (ucsf.edu)
COVID-19 has been associated with a threefold increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and a doubling of Parkinson’s disease (PD) risk, a new study suggests. However, the research also showed there was no excess risk of these neurologic disorders following COVID than other respiratory infections such as influenza or community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. COVID-19 Tied to Increased Risk for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s (medscape.com)
Want to learn more about clinical trials for dementia treatments and diagnostics? Help Being Patient develop a course about the clinical trials landscape and helps people find a trial that’s right for them. Take their one-minute survey.
Almost half of American men and women aged 45 and over could cut their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by taking steps to curb lifestyle and health factors that put them at higher risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency notes that a growing body of evidence has identified potentially modifiable risk factors that put older adults at risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. They include not getting enough aerobic exercise, smoking cigarettes, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and being obese. Other risk factors for Alzheimer’s include having high blood pressure, diabetes, depression or hearing loss, conditions that can often be effectively treated. Nearly Half of Older Americans Could Cut Their Alzheimer’s Risk | Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (alzinfo.org)
Watch AFA’s webinar , Dealing with Difficult Behaviors: watch it on-demand here »
The life expectancy for people with Down syndrome born today is about 60 years, compared with 25 for those born in 1983, although Black and Hispanic people with the disability have shorter lifespans than white people. At the same time, adults with Down syndrome show signs of aging — and “slowing down” — earlier in life, and are at higher risk of age-related diseases, including neurological problems, Type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. About 30% of people in their 50s with Down syndrome have Alzheimer’s and 50% in their 60s, whereas the rate among adults in the general population age 65-to-74 years is about 3%. Growing Number of Adults with Down Syndrome Also Develop Alzheimer’s (nextavenue.org)
Please consider taking this statewide survey about the information needs of caregivers.
https://universityofalabama.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bKjVbbeVEXFv7ue. You will receive a $15 gift card. See attached flyer.
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