WAM webinar, June 9, 11 am CT. Learn about the powerful gut-brain connection and how what you eat might affect anxiety and mood, increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, and more. You & Your Brain: The Gut-Brain Connection (yourbrain2022.com)
Glow for a Cure, July 29, Highland Golf Course. Mark your calendar for ACA’s Jr. Board nighttime golf.
In-person and zoom Support Groups:
- ACA’s group with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, May 31, 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 Susan Logan, susanlogan65@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.
May Webinars from Alabama Lifespan Respite: https://alabamarespite.org/events2/
Alzheimer’s News:
May is Mental Health Awareness month. A recent Cleveland Clinic/Parade poll shows almost 40% of Americans struggling with their mental health, 45% of them grappling with anxiety, rather than depression. Anxiety is a persistent worry about everyday situations which can interfere with participation in daily life due to the amount of distress it causes. People experiencing anxiety may worry about a number of things, constantly feel a sense of dread, have trouble relaxing, and may get easily irritated. A Q&A With Dr. Kia-Rai Prewitt of Cleveland Clinic (thewomensalzheimersmovement.org)
“As we mark the 10-year anniversary of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, it’s striking to pause for a moment and consider how far we have come. Thanks to increased congressional funding, NIH spending on Alzheimer’s and related dementias research advanced nearly 4.5-fold between fiscal years 2015 and 2020, reaching $2.87 billion. This momentum has enabled NIA-funded science to take significant strides forward.” Read more on progress being made from Richard J. Hodes, M.D., Director of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).NAPA at 10: A decade of Alzheimer’s and related dementias research progress | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) would like to hear from you about your post-diagnosis experiences for the World Alzheimer Report 2022. Your first-person feedback, gathered from online surveys, will contribute to better understand the state of post-diagnosis experiences of dementia around the world. There will be three individual surveys – one for people living with dementia, one for care partners, and one for healthcare practitioners and long-term care providers. ADI estimates survey will take 10 minutes to complete. ADI is the umbrella organization of more than 100 Alzheimer’s associations around the world. We need to hear about your experience of post-diagnosis for the World Alzheimer Report 2022 | Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) (alzint.org)
There are 4 main pillars of a healthy brain: physical exercise, a healthy diet, social activity, and cognitive stimulation. The science is exceptionally clear that people who exercise their brain, on the whole, have better short and long term health outcomes than those who do not. Playing games like Wordle can benefit the brain—but only if you like it. This is because there’s an emotional component to the game: stress. Not all stress is bad and what can be a “good stress” for one person can be a “bad stress” for someone else. If a person isn’t good at Wordle and it becomes stressful for them, it becomes disruptive, activating the sympathetic nervous system, which is the flight-or-fight response which is not good for brain health. But for people for whom Wordle results in the “good” kind of stress—just a little pressure because you want to win and maybe impress your friends— then you’re going to reap some pretty amazing benefits. Wordle challenges memory, mathematical skills, and problem-solving, and if you enjoy it then you’re getting the benefit of dopamine release too. Here are online games to try. Do Word Games Improve Brain Health? (parade.com)
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s announced the launch of The Brain Health Academy (BHA), a new series of free online courses designed in partnership with organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and the American Heart Association. The Academy is designed to equip healthcare providers and wellness professionals with the knowledge and resources to help people reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s and related dementias. This includes helping people understand the connection between lifestyle interventions and brain health. People interested in learning more or enrolling can do so here.
The combination of hearing loss and vision loss is linked to an eightfold increased risk of cognitive impairment, new research shows. Investigators analyzed data on more than 5 million US seniors. Adjusted results show that participants with hearing impairment alone had more than twice the odds of also having cognitive impairment, while those with vision impairment alone had more than triple the odds of cognitive impairment.
However, those with dual sensory impairment (DSI) had an eightfold higher risk for cognitive impairment. In addition, half of the participants with DSI also had cognitive impairment. Of those with cognitive impairment, 16% had DSI, compared with only about 2% of their peers without cognitive impairment. Hearing, Vision Loss Combo a Colossal Risk for Cognitive Decline (medscape.com)
Vascular risk factors for dementia vary with age. New data from the Framingham Heart Study show that high systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diabetes are the most important vascular risk factors for increased 10-year incident dementia at age 55, whereas heart disease was identified as a more important risk factor for dementia at age 65. These findings highlight the need for a more individualized approach to risk mitigation for dementia. Vascular Risk Factors for Dementia Vary With Age (medscape.com)
A new study is helping determine the biological definition of preclinical Alzheimer’s. The biological definition of Alzheimer’s can help to identify individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s who are candidates for disease-modifying therapies and help prevent progression. The study also helped define parameters for clinical trial recruitment and prognosis of patients with early clinical disease. The study assessed the clinical relevance of the National Institute on Aging–Alzheimer’s Association (NIA-AA) biological criteria for identifying individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, given the lack of clarity on whether the AT(N) biological framework for AD can predict those at risk of developing AD-related cognitive impairment. An Imminent Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease? (medscape.com)
High blood levels of antioxidants were linked with a lower risk of dementia. Experts suggest eating foods rich in antioxidants, including dark, leafy greens and orange fruits. High Levels of Antioxidants Linked to Lower Risk of Dementia (healthline.com
For healthy middle-aged and older adults, adding cranberries to the diet may help improve memory and brain function, in addition to lowering LDL cholesterol. Results from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of adults aged 50-80 years showed that consuming freeze-dried cranberry extract, which is equal to one cup of fresh cranberries, for 12 weeks was associated with improved episodic memory. This coincided with increased blood flow to key areas of the brain that support cognition. A Cup of Cranberries a Day Tied to Better Memory (medscape.com)
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