ACA Glow for a Cure nighttime golf tournament, July 29th Highlands Golf Course: Jr. Board fundraiser for The Lindy Harrell Pre-Doctoral Scholars Program in Alzheimer’s Research at UAB. Teams almost sold out! $30 for spectator tickets includes Taco Mama and live music. Glow for a Cure – Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama (alzca.org)
Win $1,000 gas card and support ACA’s Lindy Harrell Pre-Doctoral Scholars Program in Alzheimer’s Research at UAB. https://alzca.org/gas-gift-cards/
M4A and the Pelham Fire Department will present a webinar, July 19, “Emergency Response For People Living With Dementia And Their Caregivers: Preparing For Emergencies Via Coordinated Efforts Of First Responders And Local Aging Organizations”. https://asaging.org/web-seminars/emergency-response-people-living-dementia-and-their-caregivers-preparing-emergencies
July Webinars from Alabama Lifespan Respite: https://alabamarespite.org/events2/
In-person and zoom Support Groups:
- ACA’s group with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, July 19, 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:
Learn how you can stay safe during hot weather with NIA’s latest infographic.
This summer, 208 million American adults plan to travel. Some of those folks are probably caregivers, brave souls, traveling with loved ones with cognitive issues. Taking along a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia requires extensive planning. If you’re contemplating a summer road trip or air travel with someone diagnosed with cognitive issues, the following tips may help. Consider these tips: How to Prepare for Traveling With an Alzheimer’s Patient | Dementia Issues Can Affect Summer Travel Plans | Alzheimer’s News Today (alzheimersnewstoday.com)
Older adults may be more likely to have heat-related health problems. Being hot for too long can cause hyperthermia — a heat-related illness. Learn more about the signs of hyperthermia and how to prevent hot-weather illness. Staying Safe in Hot Weather | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
Taking measures to assure you have adequate levels of vitamin D may help to keep the brain in good working order, according to a new report.The study found that people with low levels of the vitamin had reduced brain volumes and were at increased risk of both dementia and stroke. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin because it is produced in the skin upon exposure to sunlight. One way to raise blood levels of the vitamin is to spend at least 15 to 20 minutes in the sun each day.
BrainGuide by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s continues to add to its library of resources on brain health and also has a robust set of resources for communities hit hardest by dementia, including women, African American’s, Latinos.
BrainStorm, a podcast by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, recently hosted Dr. Lisa Mosconi to discuss Alzheimer’s prevention and the role sex and gender play in brain health.
One of the best resources available on brain health supplements has been developed by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. “Cognitive Vitality” provides science-backed ratings of food, drink, drugs, vitamins & supplements and it is a great resource.
Vision impairment has been identified as a risk factor for accelerated cognitive decline and incident dementia. An estimated 90% of vision impairment is preventable or has yet to be treated. Nevertheless, vision impairment has not been included in the dominant life-course models of dementia risk factors used to shape public health policy and research priorities. Addition of Vision Impairment to a Life-Course Model of Potentially Modifiable Dementia Risk Factors in the US | Dementia and Cognitive Impairment | JAMA Neurology | JAMA Network
A new study in JAMA found that the modifiable risk factors associated with ADRDs changed over the past decade with obesity moving the to top of the list. Risk differed based on sex and race and ethnicity, and researchers asserted that risk reduction strategies may be more effective if they target higher-risk groups and higher-prevalence risk factors.
Iron accumulation in the brain as a result of alcohol consumption may explain why even moderate drinking is linked to compromised cognitive function. Results of a large observational study suggest brain iron accumulation is a “plausible pathway” through which alcohol negatively affects cognition. Alcohol’s Detrimental Impact on the Brain Explained? (medscape.com)
Watch a 6 minute video showing highlights of the opening of M4A’s Elder Justice Center: https://youtu.be/RbePMqCZhak
Rita Jablonski’s podcast, “Make Dementia Your B*tch!” reached it’s one year anniversary this week. Dr. Jablonski’s internationally-renowned program of research is focused on improving the lives of older adults, especially those with dementia who reside in nursing homes. You can find an entire year of weekly podcasts right here.
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. Symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen over time. Parkinson’s Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is linked to an increased dementia risk, with an even greater risk in the setting of comorbid heart disease or history of stroke, new research shows. Investigators analyzed data for almost 3000 older individuals, after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, those with NAFLD had a 38% higher rate of dementia overall and a 44% higher rate of vascular dementia. NAFLD, a fat build-up in the liver, is associated with a higher risk of dementia, especially when the patient has both NAFLD and heart disease. Liver Disease a New Dementia Risk Factor? (medscape.com)
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