Little Professor bookstore in Homewood is hosting Renee Harmon and ACA for a Q & A session about dementia, Sunday, July 18, 2:00-4:00. Renee is a local physician and author of Surfing the Waves of AlzheimerӮs. She also has a story in the newly released Chicken Soup for the Soul: Navigating Eldercare and Dementia. A portion of the registration fee will be donated to ACA. To sign up for the event go to:
https://littleprofessorhomewood.com/products/intimate-event-with-dr-renee-harmon-alzheimers-of-central-alabama
Dorothy McDanielӮs Flower Market has selected ACA as their Charity in Bloom for July. Visit their website scroll down to Charity in Bloom for details on the bouquet they will create for ACA during July. 20% of the proceeds will benefit ACAӮs Pre-Doctoral Scholars Program in AlzheimerӮs disease at UAB. www.dorothymcdaniel.com
Alabama Lifespan Respite July Caregiver Training, www.alabamarespite.org:
”¤ July 17, 10 am, Caring for the Caregiver ØC Part I
”¤ July 24, 10 am, Caring for the Caregiver ØC Part II
”¤ July 27, 2 pm, B.R.E.A.K ØC Breath in. Relax. Enjoy life. Appreciate all. Know rest is vital.
Webinar from Right at Home, Caregiving in the Remarried and Stepfamily Context: Implications for Practice and Intervention,Tuesday, July 20, noon CT
ACA’s Jr. Board will host Glow for a Cure, a nighttime golf tournament, Friday, July 30, at Highland Park Golf Course. There are a few spots left for teams or you can be a Hole Sponsor (contact vholder@alzca.org). Spectator tickets are $25 and include Taco Mama dinner, auction, and entertainment from the Maxx Groove band. All proceeds benefit ACA”Æs Pre-Doctoral Scholars Program in Alzheimer”Æs disease at UAB. See attached flyer.
In-person and zoom Support Groups:
”¤ ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, July 20, 11 ØC noon CT. Call (205) 871-7970 or mpiggott@alzca.org. Join us on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86450491838
”¤ CJFS CARES, Mondays at 3 pm, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
”¤ Founders Place at St. Luke”Æs Episcopal Church, Tuesday”Æs at 10 am, contact Susan Logan, susanlogan65@gmail.com
”¤ Pell City, (in person)-1st Tuesday of each month, 11:00 am, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Parish Hall, Cropwell. Contact Bit Thomaston, Ethomaston50@gmail.com
”¤ West Alabama Area Agency on Aging, Caregiver Support Group, Tuesdays, contact Nikki Poe, nikki.poe@westal.org.
”¤ CJFS CARES, Tuesdays, 7:00 pm, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
”¤ Leeds, (in person) 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:30 pm, St. Teresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church, contact Bit Thomaston,ethomaston50@gmail.com
”¤ United Way Area Agency on Aging of Jefferson County, 3rd Tuesday of each month 11:30-12:30, contact Valarie Lawson, vlawson@uwaaa.org
”¤ Asbury United Methodist Church 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 1:00, contact Maggie Dunaway at mdunaway@asburyonline.org.
Alzheimer’s News
Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is the self-reported experience of worsening or more frequent confusion or memory loss within the previous 12 months. It is one of the earliest noticeable symptoms of Alzheimer”Æs. A recent study found 11.2% of adults aged ”Ż45 years reported having SCD. The numbers are even higher for those living alone (nearly 14%) and those with chronic conditions (over 15%). And of those with SCD, over 50% reported having functional limitations. Adults should discuss confusion or memory loss with a health care professional who can assess cognitive decline and address possible treatments and issues related to chronic disease management, medical care, and caregiving. Subjective Cognitive Decline Among Adults Aged ”Ż45 Years ”Ŗ United States, 2015ØC2016 | MMWR (cdc.gov)
Early detection of AlzheimerӮs disease can offer a number of physical, psychological and emotional benefits that wonӮt be available to families following a late-stage diagnosis. From a medical standpoint, there may be numerous options available to individuals in early-stage dementia, including participation in clinical trials, interventions for reversible or treatable symptoms and, in certain cases, treatments that are more effective when started early. Five Social and Emotional Benefits of an Early Dementia Diagnosis (benrose.org)
An online calculator may be an effective way for community-dwelling adults to screen for dementia risk at home. The Dementia Population Risk Tool (DemPoRT) was developed based on the survey results from 75,460 participants in the Canadian Community Health Survey between 2001 and 2012. This tool is unique in that individuals can use it to predict their dementia risk from the comfort of their own home without neuropsychological testing, brain imaging or other tests. The goal is to empower people with information about their brain health and what they can do to reduce their risk of developing dementia. Read more at Calculator Validated for Home-Based Dementia Risk Screening (medscape.com). The dementia risk calculator is available at https://www.projectbiglife.ca/dementia, with supplemental materials at https://bit.ly/2Ux5t7B.
Local AlzheimerӮs advocates, Lynda Everman and Don Wendorf, have been care partners/caregivers for a number of loved ones with various forms of dementia. They recently offered a podcast on Person-Centered Care and Empathy: http://mind.uci.edu/mindcast/?fbclid=IwAR2rysLBxKncioA9VMKDCAvQi0SEqYZoOeAS6QZjlCXq035XBRhMQJfTHrI. A handout of their talk is attached.
SHARE for Dementia is a six-week, evidence-based counseling program for recently-diagnosed dementia patients. SHARE makes this overwhelming experience more manageable by providing tools for individuals with an early- or moderate-stage diagnosis and their care partners to address sensitive topics, identify available resources, and have hope for a meaningful future. SHARE for Dementia (benrose.org)
Here are some easy to understand questions and answers about the new Alzheimer”Æs drug, Aduhelm. What You Need to Know About the New Alzheimer”Æs Drug Aduhelm | Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (alzinfo.org)
Under fire for approving a questionable drug, Aduhelm, for all Alzheimer”Æs patients, the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday greatly narrowed its previous recommendation suggesting that only those with mild memory or thinking problems should receive it. Groups intensely lobbied the agency to sign off on the first new drug to treat the disease in 18 years ”Ŗ and the first ever designed to attack its biological underpinnings. But many scientists, as well as the FDA”Æs own independent advisory committee, was not convinced that the drug worked. This change also substantially increases the odds that Medicare and private insurers will restrict coverage of the drug, which is given as a monthly intravenous infusion. That would mean that patients with moderate or severe Alzheimer”Æs would have to pay the $56,000 annual costs out of their own pockets. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/08/health/aduhelm-alzheimers-fda.html
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will carefully review and determine whether Medicare will establish a national coverage policy for monoclonal antibodies, like Aduhelm, that target amyloid for the treatment of AlzheimerӮs disease. CMS Opens National Coverage Determination Analysis on Treatment for AlzheimerӮs Disease | CMS
Dancing helps slow the progression of motor and nonmotor symptoms and improves quality of life for patients with Parkinson”Æs disease. Weekly participation in dance training classes “drastically” reduced the expected decline in motor function and significantly improved speech, tremors, balance, and stiffness, the researchers report. Dance training also appeared to have benefits regarding cognition, hallucinations, depression and anxiety. Dance Training ‘Drastically’ Reduces Parkinson’s Progression (medscape.com)
A new episode of the Empowering Professionals in Aging podcast, from Home Instead, shares information, tips and resources about Parkinson’s Diseases (PD) to help professionals and family caregivers to best support the needs of someone living with PD in the home environment. Empowering Professionals in Aging | American Society on Aging (asaging.org)
DailyCaring offers 7 steps to find, hire, and keep the best person to provide in-home help for your older adult. 7 Steps for Hiring a Caregiver for In-Home Help ØC DailyCaring