Alzheimer's of Central Alabama

Serving people with Alzheimer’s, caregivers and professionals in central Alabama through education, caregiver services and research grants.

ACA’s Weekly Email November 18, 2022

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

ACA’s Annual Meeting and Candle Lighting Service, November 30. Local physician and author of the teaching memoir, Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer’s, Dr. Renee Harmon, will present on Compassionate Communication: Speaking Alzheimer’s; followed by the candle lighting. Vestavia Library, 9 – 10:30 am.

The fourth Global-US BrainTrust dialogue will release the latest findings on dementia risk reduction, brain health, and research on a vaccine for Alzheimer’s, Attend virtually, November 22, 1 – noon CT Global-US Brain Trust Quarterly Dialogue: Building the Future: Collaboration of Women in Science, Media and Philanthropy (google.com)

Facebook/zoom event with Rita Jablonski, PhD, CRNP, FGSA, FAAN, author of Make Dementia Your B*tch, November 30, 1 – 2:30.   https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Lom7x4rzQS-rApqq_Ontrg 

AFTD Meet & Greet for all on the FTD journey, Tuesday, December, 6, 6 – 8 pm, Vestavia Hill United Methodist Church.  Email amber.guy@icloud.com.

In-person and zoom Support Groups:

Alzheimer’s News:

What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?  Studies show that practicing gratitude can make you happier, lower stress, protect you from depression, help you sleep better, boost your immune system, and improve your relationships.  But it’s important to know that being grateful doesn’t mean ignoring negative feelings.  DailyCaring explains what gratitude really means, shares 2 positive effects of gratitude that reduce caregiver stress, and suggests an easy way to add a little gratitude to your day. How the Positive Effects of Gratitude Reduce Caregiver Stress – DailyCaring

Spirituality is linked to higher quality of life (QOL) and emotional well-being for patients with neurologic disorders ― and may even be associated with a lower incidence of neurologic conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests.  The spiritual dimension is an important aspect in adaptation and coping with neurological diseases, considering religious faith as a resource that can help people accept and cope with their condition.  Spirituality an Important Coping Mechanism for Neurologic Disease (medscape.com)

The investigational anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody gantenerumab (Genentech/Roche) showed no clear benefit for patients with early Alzheimer’s disease in the phase 3 GRADUATE I and II trials, the company has announced. Although gantenerumab was well tolerated, it failed to meet the primary endpoint of slowing clinical decline.  Novel Alzheimer’s Treatment Disappoints in Twin Phase 3 Trials (medscape.com)

What time you go to bed, and how much time you spend in bed, may be tied to your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.  Researchers looked at 1,982 older adults living in rural China and found that the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia was 69 percent higher in people who slept more than eight hours a night compared to those who slept seven to eight hours a night. The dementia risk was twice as high in those who went to bed before 9 at night, compared to those who went to bed at 10 p.m. or later.  Even in those who did not develop dementia, spending many hours in bed was tied to an increased risk of declines in memory and thinking skills. Better Slumber Equals Better Brain Health | Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (alzinfo.org)

NIH has released Advancing Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Research for All Populations: Prevent. Diagnose. Treat. Care a scientific progress report giving a comprehensive overview of advances made from April 2021 through March 2022 to address the enormous challenges of Alzheimer’s and related dementias.  The report highlights NIH-funded progress in the work to achieve optimal prevention, diagnostic, treatment, and care options. Read the full blog post.  A few highlights of NIH-funded progress:

  • An anti-beta-amyloid vaccine that shows promise in people living with Down syndrome
  • A recently launched clinical trial to test gene therapy for Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment
  • The first blood test for a biomarker of Alzheimer’s that is now validated in clinical trials
  • Study results that suggest a specific hormone may be key to sex differences in Alzheimer’s
  • The finding that speed of processing training may delay cognitive impairment
  • Unraveling of links between dementia and COVID-19, and other infectious diseases
  • Research that underscored how clinical trial data must be representative of all communities
  • Study results showing that for people living with dementia, having a family member available to help reduced the need for paid care
  • A new NIH intramural dementia research center designed to further accelerate a broad range of scientific discovery.

Douglas Paauw, MD, at the University of Washington, Seattle, reviews the active steps we can all take to preserve brain health.  Three simple and safe interventions that may protect us from cognitive decline include taking a daily multivitamin, walking more than 4,000 steps a day, and optimizing vision and hearing. How Can I Keep From Losing My Mind? (medscape.com)

Dementia Australia, with the Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute (A²I²), Deakin University, and funding by the Australian Government, has developed a free mobile app – BrainTrack – that helps people to monitor and better understand suspected changes in their cognition over time.   BrainTrack is not intended to replace a formal cognitive assessment, however the app supports the early identification of cognitive changes over time that may warrant further testing and a formal cognitive assessment.  Encouraging people to talk to their physicians as soon as they have concerns about their cognition may lead to an earlier diagnosis of dementia, which then empowers and enables people living with dementia, their families to better understand and manage the symptoms. BrainTrack is a free downloadable app through the Apple App Store or Google Play.  BrainTrack App | Dementia Australia

Listen to Teepa Snow’s 60 Courageous Conversations,  a video interview series with authentic discussions about tough dementia topics.  Courageous Conversations in Dementia – YouTube

Almost half of Americans have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.  Maintaining healthy blood pressure may help stave off conditions such as dementia. A new study builds on existing evidence, indicating that the length of time blood pressure stays within a healthy “target range” is an important factor for brain health. Regular exercise and eating a balanced diet may contribute to healthy blood pressure levels.  Dementia Risk Linked to How Long Blood Pressure Stays In Target Range (healthline.com)

Elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels have been reported as a potential risk factor for cognitive impairment. Compared with the general population, older adults with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who are frequently affected by secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) are at increased risk of developing dementia. Receiving treatment for SHPT was associated with a lower risk of incident dementia among older patients with ESRD. Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Treatment and Dementia Risk (medscape.com)

Now’s a good time to stock up on the Alzheimer’s stamp.  Please consider using them on your holiday mail or giving them as gifts to other advocates and care partners.  To date, $1.3M has been raised for research. Purchase from The Postal Store®:  https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/alzheimers-S_564204

November Webinars from Alabama Lifespan Respite: https://alabamarespite.org/events2/

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 

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