Rose Garden Adult Day Care Center is hosting a Rock-A-Thon to raise money for ACA’s Walk, Saturday, October 22, 10 – 3. There will be a fish fry, back sale and ice cream truck. Call 205-595-5800.
Forum: Women & Alzheimer’s: The Empowerment Forum (Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, October 18, 8 am – 1 pm CT.
Webinar: Family Dynamics in Dementia Care (Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, October 19, 1-3 pm CT.
Teepa Snow Webinar: Changing Seasons, Changing Circadian Patterns, October 20, 1:00 – 2:00 PM CT. Registration (gotowebinar.com)
Alzheimer’s Association presents Expert & Agency Forum, with ACA Director Miller Piggott, Hoover Library, October 25, 6 – 7:30 pm.
ACA’s Walking to Remember, Saturday, November 5. “Peace, Love, Walk” is the theme for our annual Walk which is held at the ACA parking lot, 300 Office Park Drive, at 9 a.m. Fun for the whole family. Walkers raising a minimum of $50 receive a Walk t-shirt. Yard signs are available for pick up, vholder@alzca.org.
Alzheimer’s Day of Prayer and Remembrance, Sunday, November 13.
ACA Community lecture, November 17, Progress in Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, presented by David S. Geldmacher, MD, Warren Family Endowed Chair and Professor, UAB Department of Neurology. Vestavia Library, 6 – 7:30 pm
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.
In-person and zoom Support Groups:
- ACA’s group with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, October 18, 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 Betsy Smith, Smith35213@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@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
- Pell City, Tuesday’s 2 – 3 and 6:30 – 7:30. Lakeside Hospice, Julie Slagle jslagle@lakesidehospice.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 Church 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 1:00, contact Maggie Dunaway at mdunaway@asburyonline.org.
Alzheimer’s News:
A number of studies have suggested that eating a healthy diet may reduce a person’s risk of dementia, but a new study has found that two diets, including the Mediterranean diet, are not linked to a reduced risk of dementia. The Mediterranean diet includes a high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, fish and healthy fats such as olive oil, and a low intake of dairy products, meats and saturated fatty acids. The study followed 28,000 people from Sweden for 20 years. Diet on its own may not have a strong enough effect on memory and thinking, but is likely one factor among others that influence the course of cognitive function. No Link Between Mediterranean Diet and Decreased Risk of Dementia – Neuroscience News
Being Patient explains what’s happening in the race to find a treatment for Alzheimer’s. Two Alzheimer’s drugs are in phase 3 trials: one that targets beta-amyloid plaques (by Alzheon, which is currently recruiting for trials) and one that targets neurofibrillary tangles, or knots of tau protein (by TauRx, which we recently learned has a colorful side effect!). Both of these protein accumulations appear in brains with Alzheimer’s, and both appear to get in the way of our neurons, eventually killing them off. What makes these two drugs different from other recent therapies in our reporting is that they are both pills, which if successful, would be much more accessible and more affordable than infusions required to administer Alzheimer’s “mab” drugs, like Aduhelm, and the other candidates now underway. We also wait with anticipation to understand if the tau drug will yield any success, considering so many targeting beta-amyloid plaque have failed.
When we experience inflammation in our joints, we may have redness, swelling, and pain. If we have inflammation in our skin, we might get an itchy or otherwise annoying rash. But what happens if there is inflammation in our brains? Brain inflammation (neuroinflammation) is linked to worse mood, cognition, and general brain health. Things to watch: a low quality diet; poor metabolic health; exposure to smoke and/or excess alcohol; belly fat, chronic stress. 5 Things That Could Increase Brain Inflammation (austinperlmutter.com)
In a study of almost 12,000 Chinese adults accelerated aging was detected in participants with a history of stroke, liver and lung disease, smokers, and people in a vulnerable mental state. Accelerated aging refers to a sped-up process of the accumulation of molecular damage that comes with age and contributes to the development of age-related frailty and disease. Feeling helpless, lonely, and unhappy, were shown to increase the rate of biological aging more than smoking. Factors such as being single and living in a rural area were shown to accelerate aging as well. Loneliness and unhappiness may impact biological aging more than smoking | Integrative Practitioner
On this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, Dale Bredesen, author of the New York Times bestselling book, The End of Alzheimer’srattles off some less obvious factors that can significantly affect your brain health: your oral microbiome; Vitamin D; and saunas. The mindbodygreen Podcast on Apple Podcasts
The National Center on Elder Abuse compared elder abuse patterns over a one-year period during the pandemic, and a corresponding time frame one-year prior to the start of the pandemic. Among their findings:
- Greater rates of physical abuse and emotional abuse reported to the NCEA helpline during the pandemic;
- An increased frequency of multiple forms of abuse reported to the NCEA, suggesting a potential increase in the severity of elder abuse during COVID-19;
- Financial abuse was the most commonly reported abuse subtype, followed by emotional abuse; and
- Family members were the most commonly alleged perpetrators of abuse across both time periods. Elder abuse in the COVID-19 era based on calls to the National Center on Elder Abuse resource line | BMC Geriatrics | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)
Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), such as pioglitazone, appear to be protective against dementia whereas sulfonylureas appear to increase the risk, a new observational study in patients with type 2 diabetes suggests. The data, obtained from nationwide electronic medical records from the US Veterans Affairs Administration, yielded a 22% lower risk of dementia with TZD monotherapy and a 12% elevated risk with sulfonylurea monotherapy, compared with metformin monotherapy. The apparent protective effects of TZDs were greater among individuals who were overweight. One Type of Older Diabetes Drug Cuts Dementia Risk, Another Ups It (medscape.com)
October 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