Support Group Meetings:
- ACA’s support group with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, May 27, 11:00 – noon CT. Call (205) 871-7970or mpiggott@alzca.org. Join us on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85247427423
- 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 Robin Montgomery, robin.montgomery@westal.org.
- M4A’s Caregiver Support Group, 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, 10 – 11:30 am, Montevallo. Contact Robyn James, rjames@m4a.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
- Eastaboga, 2nd Tuesday, 6:00 pm. Contact Julie Slagle jslagle@lakesidehospice.org
- Trussville, 3rd Tuesday, 6:00 pm. Contact Julie Slagle jslagle@lakesidehospice.org
- Covenant Presbyterian Church, first Wednesday of the month, 10 am, church parlor, Contact Kristian Hatley at Khatley@covpress.com.
- M4A virtual support group, 3rd Wednesdays 2:00 – 3:00 pm. Contact Chalane Mims, cmims@m4a.org.
- Trinity United Methodist Church, every Thursday at 2:30 pm, contact Ernie at 205-370-0032 or emailewillis@trinitybirmimgham.com.
- Asbury United Methodist Church 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 1:00, contact Maggie Dunaway atmdunaway@asburyonline.org.
- AFTD support group, second Tuesday of the month. Amber Guy: 251-281-5344.
- Discovery United Methodist Church, Hoover, 2nd and 4th Thursdays 10:30-noon. Peggy Harrison: pharrison@discoveryumc.org.
- St. Mark’s UMC, Vestavia Hills, Fridays at 1 pm. Contact Donna Baird: (205)717-9880.
Alzheimer’s News:
AFA offers T.R.I.P. Tips for Families Traveling with a Loved One Living with Dementia this Memorial Day Weekend:
- Time the travel properly. Plan both the travel mode and the timing of your trip so that it causes the least amount of anxiety and stress for your loved one. Incorporate the person’s capabilities and needs when deciding on arrangements. Anything unfamiliar, such as a place, environment, or change in schedule can be overwhelming for someone with dementia. As much as possible, preserve the person’s routine and support them through changes.
• Reduce stress and anxiety. If travelling by mass transit, familiarize the person beforehand, in keeping with their understanding, with what will happen at security checkpoints, as this can reduce potential anxiety. If flying, request early boarding and TSA Cares assistance. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) offers assistance with the screening process to air travelers with certain medical conditions, including dementia-related illnesses; contact their TSA Cares Helpline at least 72 hours prior to your flight to learn more. Advise the airline that you are traveling with someone who has dementia and let them know about any special needs your loved one has.
• Include breaks and downtime. Scheduling many activities and experiences during a trip can be tempting but might overstimulate someone living with dementia. This could potentially cause confusion, agitation, or anxiety. Build in downtime to allow the person to rest and recharge. Focus on spending quality time together rather than on the number of sites, attractions, and activities. Take regular breaks on road trips for food, bathroom visits, and rest, and try to avoid rush hour.
• Plan for contingencies. Bring snacks, water, activities, and comfort items (i.e., a blanket or the person’s favorite sweater), as well as an extra set of comfortable and weather-appropriate clothing. Be sure to take important health and legal-related documentation, a list of current medications, and physician information with you.
The US Food and Drug Administration has given marketing clearance to a blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, making the test the first to get signoff to aid in the early detection of the disease in the United States. The test, called the Lumipulse G pTau217/ß-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio, is for adults 55 and older who are showing signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, the FDA announced late last week. It works by measuring two proteins in blood plasma: pTau217 and beta-amyloid 1-42. A ratio of those proteins tends to correlate with the occurrence or absence of amyloid plaques in the brain, which are among the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. The test does not measure amyloid directly but can signal its presence. However, there remains no current single test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Doctors primarily rely on a variety of tools to diagnose the condition, which may include medical history, neurological exams, cognitive and functional evaluations, brain imaging, spinal fluid analysis and, more recently, blood tests. https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/16/health/alzheimers-blood-test-fda-clearance
Sleep is more complicated than it seems, but researchers have gotten better at studying it. Recent studies offer new insights into the connection between poor sleep and dementia.
It can be hard to tell the difference between someone who’s sleeping and someone who’s resting their eyes. But sleeping isn’t just rest — it’s an active brain process that is essential for short- and long-term health. While a poor night of sleep sets a person up for a rough morning, scientists are learning that people who consistently undersleep are more at risk for neurodegeneration later in life. One recent study in the Netherlands found that people who sleep six hours or fewer are 44 percent more likely to develop dementia in the future. Now scientists are trying to understand what sleep does for the brain. Read more from Being Patient on how sleep cycles cleans the brain. https://www.beingpatient.com/brain-health-sleep-new-research/
Advocates applaud the bipartisan and bicameral reintroduction of the CHANGE Act (Concentrating on High-value Alzheimer’s Needs to Get to an End) by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Mark Warner (D-VA), along with Representatives Linda Sánchez (D-CA) and Darin LaHood (R-IL), calling the legislation a significant step toward transforming how Alzheimer’s disease is detected, diagnosed, and treated in the United States. The CHANGE Act is designed to promote early detection of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, integrate cognitive screening into routine preventive care under Medicare, and connect patients to diagnosis and treatment at the earliest stages of disease. These improvements are key to ensuring better outcomes for patients, reducing costs, and supporting caregivers. “The CHANGE Act brings a practical, bipartisan approach to one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time,” said George Vradenburg, chair and co-founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. “By prioritizing early detection and care planning, we can change the course of Alzheimer’s for millions of families. This legislation reflects exactly the kind of action we need to prepare our healthcare system—and our nation—for what lies ahead.” UsAgainstAlzheimer’s urges members of Congress to support and swiftly pass the CHANGE Act to help shift the Alzheimer’s care system from crisis response to proactive intervention—saving lives, preserving dignity, and supporting families across the country. UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Applauds Bipartisan Reintroduction of CHANGE Act to Improve Early Detection and Alzheimer’s Care | UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s research has always been bipartisan and it must continue” : Maria Shriver on the fight against this disease. Watch a 10 minute CNN interview with Maria Shriver as she discusses the importance of Alzheimer’s research in general and the impact on women’s health. https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/19/Tv/video/sitroom-brown-maria-shriver-alzheimer-memior
Earlier this week, a subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee held a budget hearing to discuss the proposed budget for the Department of Health and Human Services. During the hearing, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy made false comments around Alzheimer’s disease research, saying, “The NIH went off the rails on Alzheimer’s research 20 years ago. One of the favorite researchers of the old boys club at NIH developed a hypothesis that Alzheimer’s was caused by amyloid plaque buildups. After that, NIH suppressed any science, refused to fund any science [that is] an alternative hypothesis.” UsAgainstAlzheimer’s issued the following statement in response: “While UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is grateful for Secretary Kennedy’s commitment to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, it is dangerous to spread factually incorrect information around existing research and progress toward cures. A claim that NIH has blocked scientific progress misrepresents the reality of Alzheimer’s research in two ways. For one, research focused on amyloid beta accounts for less than 14% of the total over the last 10 years. But more importantly for patients, this research has led to two FDA-approved drugs that have shown significant progress in giving patients and families more time together. These treatments were proven effective through large, carefully conducted clinical trials. Misinformation like the Secretary’s remarks takes attention away from the real progress being made and undermines the credibility of an entire field of dedicated researchers who work tirelessly to explore promising approaches to treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Thanks to strong bipartisan support in Congress, Alzheimer’s research has received historic increases in federal research funding—fueling progress toward better treatments, care, and, ultimately, a cure. This investment is helping researchers move faster and giving families more hope than ever before. We must prioritize scientific integrity and collaboration to ensure patients and families have the accurate information they need to make informed decisions about their health. https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/press/misinformation-existing-alzheimers-research-hinders-pathways-cures
If you have ever wondered if your loved one would benefit from a respite program, you must watch this 41 minute video highlighting the good work of Respite for All! A place of Belonging: How Respite for All communities transform the dementia journey is a powerful documentary that shows transformation in both those living with dementia and their carepartners/caregivers. You can watch here if you want to watch on your own: https://youtu.be/9rMnOHMPVL0 . St. Luke’s Founders Place will host a public viewing May 28, 4-6 pm.
May/June Webinars from Alabama Lifespan Respite: https://alabamarespite.org/events2/