M4A’s Alabama Cares Caregiver Support Program hosts a virtual “Break-to-Educate” event for Family Caregivers. Wednesday, September 15, 9 – 11:30 am. Zoom registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qRaTSHy2ScWoikipmCNezw
Alabama Respite Webinars, register at alabamarespite.org:
- Who should be a Caregivers, September 11, 10 am
- Art of Grace, September 14, 6 pm
- Weighing Your Options as a Family, Part I, September 18, 10 am
- Weighing Your Options as a Family, Part II, September 25, 10 am
- Understanding Alzheimer’s, September 28, 10 am
WEBINAR: The Role of Neuropalliative Care in FTD. How can neuropalliative care support individuals and families with FTD? This AFTD Educational Webinar will define neuropalliative care and its role in managing FTD symptoms and improving quality of life. Friday, September 17, 11 am CT. Registration (gotowebinar.com)
New Support Group! The Oaks on Parkwood, Tuesday, September 28, at 10:00 am, in the activity room called Nolan Hall. For more info contact: Karen Glover, karenrglover@bellsouth.net.
In-person and zoom Support Groups:
- ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, September 14, 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.
- 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:
Twenty years after 9/11, Ground Zero first responders are suffering from abnormally high rates of cognitive impairment, with some individuals in their 50s experiencing deficiencies that typically manifest when people are in their 70s — if at all. The mystery of 9/11 first responders and dementia – The Washington Post
Patti Davis, daughter of former President Ronald Reagan, spoke to WAM about her powerful new book, Floating in the Deep End: How Caregivers Can See Beyond Alzheimer’s. Davis explains the love, loss and lessons she learned while seeing her father battle Alzheimer’s disease. “In 1994 when my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, almost no one was talking about the disease, despite the fact that statistics revealed many people were dealing with it. There was embarrassment, confusion, and very little information coming from the medical community. All these years later, I think we have become much better at taking Alzheimer’s out of the shadows and looking at it in the light. We have become more comfortable with our discomfort…More than any other disease, we need to learn about it through the personal experiences of others. That’s why support groups are so important. It’s invaluable to sit with others who are pilgrims on the same path and realize that you aren’t alone in what you’re feeling. It gives you the sustenance you need to look ahead as days and nights stretch out before you, with the disease dictating what happens next and when.”
Could flickering lights have brain health benefits? Research around experimental therapies involving external stimuli — like light and sound — is growing. And some devices are already hitting the market, while others are entering clinical trials to prove their efficacy. One of the challenges in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) drug development is finding treatments that are actually capable of reaching the brain. The blood-brain barrier, a border between the brain and the rest of the body, is impenetrable to many contaminants or intruders, making it difficult to design a therapeutic to sneak across. But what if a treatment could be delivered directly to the brain? Innovations in neuroscience and neurotechnology are creating new avenues for non-invasive therapies for Alzheimer’s with this challenge in mind. And increasingly, scientists and clinicians are exploring new technologies that skirt the blood-brain barrier, leveraging light and sound stimulation to access the brain directly. Review: These Devices Use Flashing Lights Designed to Boost Brain Health – Being Patient
There are literally hundreds of different conditions that can cause memory loss, confusion, personality changes, and problems with walking, speaking, and comprehension. Dementia means that the brain isn’t working well—there are treatable types, reversible types, and types we have limited options for. Experts break down eight different types of dementia and the symptoms Symptoms (they’re associated with. 8 Types of Dementia and How to Identify Common prevention.com)
An expert calls one on the key ingredients in the popular brain health supplement Neuriva Plus “tasty snake oil” despite celebrity endorsements. The maker of the “gummy” supplement recently settles a lawsuit prohibits them from claiming their product’s stated benefits are “backed by science.” Dietary supplements may be a $40 billion dollar industry, but when it comes marketing these products, which don’t fall under the purview of the Food and Drug Administration, it’s less of a medical empire and more of a Wild West. Does Neuriva Plus Work? A Settled Lawsuit Now Bars Its Makers From Claiming Scientific Proof – Being Patient
Adding a few brain-healthy habits to your daily repertoire could help you stay sharp and focused: meditate; drink green tea; eat berries; eat leafy greens; sleep 7-8 hours a night; learn new things; practice yoga; hydrate; and carve out time to think. 9 Things Experts Do Every Day for Better Brain Health (yahoo.com)
Federal lawmakers are asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide additional data and documents related to the agency’s controversial decision to grant accelerated approval to Biogen’s Aduhelm (aducanumab) as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Some law makers stated they “are also concerned by reports of unusual coordination between FDA and Biogen throughout the drug’s approval process.” Data on FDA’s Aduhelm Approval for Alzheimer’s Sought by US Congress (alzheimersnewstoday.com)
Learn more about employment trends in long term care Direct Care Workers in the United States: Key Facts provides a new annual snapshot on the direct care workforce, including its demographics, occupational roles, job quality challenges, and projected job openings. The report includes detailed overviews of three segments of this workforce: home care workers, residential care aides, and nursing assistants in nursing homes. https://phinational.org/resource/direct-care-workers-in-the-united-states-key-facts-2/
Enjoy virtual activities and therapeutic programming from the comfort of your home. www.alzfdn.org/afatealroom
This year marks a decade of advocacy, as supporters observe the 10th World Alzheimer’s Month. Organized by Alzheimer’s Disease International, known as ADI, Alzheimer’s Awareness Month is observed each September, giving people from around the globe an opportunity to come together to heighten awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and push back against stigmas around dementia, on behalf of the estimated 50 million people worldwide who are believed to be living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.