Join ACA for our 11th annual Glow for a Cure night golf tournament. This fun event supports our Junior Board’s Lindy Harrell Pre-doctoral Scholars Program in Alzheimer’s research at UAB, July 28, Highland Park Golf Course, Birmingham. Glow for a Cure – Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama (alzca.org)
- ACA’s support group with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, June 20, 11 – 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.
- St Lukes Episcopal Church on Tuesdays at 10:15. Contact Betsy Smith (smith35213@gmail.com) or Janis Cole (janiscarole3@aol.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@gmail.com.
- 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
- Leeds, 1st Tuesday, 6:30 pm. Contact Julie Slagle jslagle@lakesidehospice.org
- Pell City, 2nd Tuesday, 2:30 pm. Contact Julie Slagle, jslagle@lakesidehospice.org
- M4A virtual support group, 3rd Wednesday’s 2:00 – 3:00 pm. Contact Chalane Mims, cmims@m4a.org.
- Asbury United Methodist Church 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 1:00, contact Maggie Dunaway at mdunaway@asburyonline.org.
New Support Group – The Church at Chelsea Park, Wilsonville, AL, first Thursday of the month. Contact Brooklyn White,brooklyn@parkinsonalabama.org
June Webinars from Alabama Lifespan Respite: https://alabamarespite.org/events2/
Alzheimer’s News:
Father’s Day is June 18!
- 50+ Father’s Day Gifts for Seniors: Things He’ll Actually Use – DailyCaring
- 16 Entertaining Father’s Day Activities for Seniors – DailyCaring
The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement offers Four Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day: https://thewomensalzheimersmovement.org/fathers-day-dementia-deborah-shouse/
Members of a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee have unanimously concluded that a study confirms the benefit of the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab (Leqembi; Eisai Inc), paving the way for traditional approval. An intravenous infusion targeting amyloid beta, lecanemab received accelerated FDA approved earlier this year for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The company was required to complete a confirmatory study to verify and describe the product’s clinical benefit. The study met its primary endpoint, showing 27% less decline. The drug also affected function, with a 37% decrease compared to placebo. There were also quality-of-life benefits. Compared to patients who received placebo, those who took lecanemab had 49% less decline as measured with the European Quality of Life–5 Dimensions scale and 56% less decline as measured by the Quality of Life in AD scale, and caregivers reported less burden. FDA Panel Unanimously Endorses Lecanemab for Alzheimer’s (medscape.com)
The Six Pillars of Brain Health: Discover tips and information to help better your brain health from Alzheimer’s Orange County. Learn more here.
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s launched year two of the Brain Health Academy. The virtual academy equips healthcare providers and wellness professionals with knowledge and resources to help people reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s. Health and wellness professionals are the main audience for the sessions, but anyone interested in reducing their risk and improving their brain health can join. Evidence continues to show that many of the lifestyle habits we know are good for healthy aging such as good nutrition, physical activity, quality sleep, and social connection can also reduce the risk of dementia. The 2023 Academy includes six courses covering the science and interventions to address modifiable risk factors for dementia, including obesity, diabetes, hearing loss, depression, smoking, and alcohol use. . Learn more HERE.
The A-LIST recently spoke to caregivers about whether they had witnessed lucid episodes in their loved ones. More than 60% of caregivers said yes. Check out the A-LIST Pulse of the Community newsletter and learn more about how caregivers feel about witnessing these episodes, whether they found these episodes positive and if they made decisions based on the episodes. “Episodes of lucidity” are also referred to as “ELs,” “lucid experiences” and “paradoxical lucidity.” More than 60% of caregivers reported witnessing ELs with their care recipient over the course of their dementia. Most episodes happened in late stages of dementia (71%). Only 10% happened within 7 days before death. About half the episodes were characterized by uncharacteristic speech and communication.
Scientists have learned that even one night of sleep deprivation increases levels of Alzheimer’s hallmark protein, beta-amyloid, in the brain. Sometimes, the proteins in the body stop doing their jobs. They turn into polluting plaques, tangles and globs that can build up in the brain. This clutter disrupts brain cells, causing inflammation, and eventually, cell death. To help clean house, the brain does have a “washing machine”, which disposes of this protein clutter during sleep. A washing machine serves as a metaphor for the glymphatic system. The body’s glymphatic system cleans everything out, then drains through a series of tunnels called lymphatic vessels, taking plaques and toxic proteins away with it while we sleep. Scientists are working to find ways to super charge the brain’s washing machine to make it super-efficient at clearing the protein junk that leads to neurodegeneration. Optimizing the Brain’s “Washing Machine” to Clean Up Alzheimer’s | Being Patient
Recent research has confirmed the impact of periodontitis on risk of neurologic diseases. Individuals with periodontitis are at 2.8 times’ higher risk of ischemic stroke. Observational studies have shown that those who have had an ischemic stroke and have a confirmed diagnosis of periodontitis are at greater risk of suffering a recurrent vascular event, worse neurologic deficit, and postictal depression than patients without periodontitis. As far as its link to Alzheimer’s disease, meta-analyses of epidemiologic studies show that periodontitis is associated with a 1.7 times greater risk dementia and that the risk triples among patients with more serious forms of periodontitis. Are Periodontitis, Stroke, and Alzheimer’s Disease Linked? (medscape.com)
Data from a single EEG electrode might predict cognitive decline, including dementia, in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Researchers discovered that reduced strength of specific low-frequency brain waves, known as delta and theta waves, was strongly linked to cognitive dysfunction in these patients. The non-invasive and inexpensive nature of EEG makes it a potential tool for diagnosing cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s patients. The findings also suggest the EEG measurements might help monitor and adjust cognitive side effects of Parkinson’s treatments. Predicting Dementia in Parkinson’s: EEG Might Hold the Key – Neuroscience News