November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month:
Annual Day of Prayer, Sunday November 14. The Prayer is attached. Please consider making this prayer a part of your weekend worship activities.
M4A Coffee Break with ACA Executive Director, Miller Piggott, “Celebrating Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama’s 30 Anniversary and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Wednesday, November 17, 1 – 2 CT. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_joS6S8HjRvCGyWUQMSIYXw?fbclid=IwAR0OTuf-qLlpkOGIZmR0a4RAOURnOF_xhpeeOClX8t9SmMHzTUHioBsBp_8
ACA’s Annual Meeting and Candlelight Service, Thursday, November 18, 9 am, Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest, 1221 Montgomery Highway. Join ACA’s Board of Directors for our annual meeting followed by the Candle Lighting Service that offers a moment of contemplation for all who are living with Alzheimer’s.
Webinar Creating Dementia Friendly Holidays, from Alzheimer’s Orange County, Tuesday, November 16, noon to 1, Creating “Dementia-friendly” Holidays (via Zoom) – Alzheimer’s Orange County (alzoc.org)
AFTD Webinar will describe physical therapy (PT) and its role in managing FTD movement symptoms and decreasing falls, Thursday, November 18, 11 am, Registration (gotowebinar.com)
Alzheimer’s Care Conference sponsored by the Alabama chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, November 17 and 18, 9:00-11:00 CT.
https://www.communityresourcefinder.org/ResourceView/Index?id=2362356&_gl=1*11i6t1d*_ga*OTQzMjQ1OTkzLjE2MTcyMDUyNjM.*_ga_9JTEWVX24V*MTYzNTk1MTM3Ni43LjEuMTYzNTk1MTQ2MS4w&_ga=2.149363702.1930534767.1635951377-943245993.1617205263
In-person and zoom Support Groups:
- ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, November 16, 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.
- Founders Place at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Tuesday’s 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.
- 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.
- 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:
The first patient has been recruited, in Finland, for Alzinova AB’s Phase 1b clinical trial testing its ALZ-101 vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease. Alzinova AB, a Swedish biopharma company, is working to develop treatments for Alzheimer’s that specifically target amyloid-beta oligomers — chains of several single units (monomers) of the protein. The toxic aggregation, or buildup, in the brain of these oligomers leads to the disease’s clinical manifestations. Trial Testing Potential Alzheimer’s Vaccine ALZ-101 Recruits First Patient (alzheimersnewstoday.com)
Ritalin for Alzheimer’s? A Phase 3, randomized controlled clinical trial recently showed that methylphenidate, a drug often prescribed for patients with ADHD (commonly known as Ritalin), could relieve symptoms of apathy in Alzheimer’s. Apathy is an extremely common symptom of Alzheimer’s. It impairs patients’ ability to socialize and maintain routines, activities that are central to preserving their wellbeing. Ritalin for Alzheimer’s? Clinical Trial Explores Common ADHD Drug’s Effects For Treating Apathy – Being Patient
Prolonged periods of stress can lead to a surge in proinflammatory proteins called cytokines. In small doses, these proteins keep us healthy. But in excess, they do more harm than good. One expert estimates that anywhere between 25 and 40% of illnesses are directly stress-related. The four science-backed strategies for recovering from chronic stress are simple but by no means easy—especially if you’re still in the middle of a stressful period. Eating well, sleeping well, exercising, and socializing are much more doable when things are going well, but they require a lot of energy and attention during hard times. Chronic Stress Causes Serious Damage — But Is It Reversible? (mindbodygreen.com)
Does Aduhelm work? Can it slow the progression of Alzheimer’s? The Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm (aducanumab), June 2021, was a landmark decision, one that has also sparked major controversy in the Alzheimer’s community. Some experts have hailed the approval of the drug — the first-of-its-kind to be green-lit by the FDA — as the start of a new era of Alzheimer’s treatments. But others have criticized the FDA, saying the agency approved the drug prematurely given that Aduhelm’s efficacy remains unclear. Being Patient speaks to trial participants about Aduhlem. Does Aduhelm Work? Patients Weigh In on the Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug – Being Patient
A biological framework called the “microcompetition model” may explain why people infected with herpes simplex 1 (HSV1) are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. HSV1 infection can cause genital herpes, though it more commonly causes sores around the mouth and lips (sometimes called fever blisters or cold sores). Emerging data has suggested that people who are infected with HSV1 are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s. However, it’s unclear what biological phenomena might be responsible for this connection. Study Provides Biological Basis for How Herpes Could Cause Alzheimer’s (alzheimersnewstoday.com)
Older men and women who ate at least two servings of fish a week were at lower risk of developing brain changes tied to dementia. The findings add to growing evidence that fish, long heralded for heart health, is also good for brain health. Eating fish appeared to improve vascular health, or the health of tiny blood vessels, in the brain. Poor vascular health in the brain is a common cause of dementia and can worsen symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Two Servings of Fish a Week May Help Protect Against Dementia | Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (alzinfo.org)
Rita Jablonski’s blog offer simple tips to make any holiday – especially Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Yule and Christmas – dementia friendly: Making Holidays and Traditions Dementia-Friendly (makedementiayourbitch.com)
Teepa Snow’s blog on caregiver guilt: 3 Tips for Letting Go of Guilt When You Need Caregiving Help – Positive Approach to Care (teepasnow.com)
Great Holiday gift giving guides for seniors from DailyCaring:
- 37 Great Gifts for Senior Men – DailyCaring
- 32 Wonderful Gifts for Senior Women – DailyCaring
- 8 Worst Gifts for Seniors (and What to Give Instead) – DailyCaring
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