On Tuesday, September 21, the world will come together to celebrate World Alzheimer’s Day, raise awareness, and challenge the stigma that persists around Alzheimer’s and related dementias. This year’s campaign, created by Alzheimer’s Disease International, will shine a light on the warning signs of dementia, encouraging people to seek out information and support. BrainGuide™ by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s seeks to empower people with knowledge and resources to take the best next steps in managing their own or a loved one’s brain health. To celebrate World Alzheimer’s Day, ACA is encouraging families to put brain health at the top of their list by pledging to take the BrainGuide memory questionnaire for themselves or their loved one(s). https://mybrainguide.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI__Hd4LKG8wIV2TizAB2iCAkcEAAYASAAEgLDJ_D_BwE
Alabama Respite Webinars, register at alabamarespite.org:
- 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
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 21, 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:
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and the Alzheimer’s Association recently sent a letter to US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, urging him to include the new dementia risk reduction goal in the plan supported by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Advisory Council. This letter references the Call to Action statement, which was signed by Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama and nearly 200 other organizations. The NAPA’s advisory council unanimously adopted a recommendation that would add a sixth goal – preventing the disease and related dementia through reducing risk factors, but the federal framework still needs an update. “A greater focus on prevention and risk reduction will show people across the country and the world that dementia is not an inevitable consequence of aging, but instead is a disease that can be prevented, treated, and ultimately cured,” the organizations said.
Research has shown that as many as one third of COVID-19 survivors experience cognitive impairment or dementia-like symptoms. Read an op-ed for Being Patient arguing that, for about 30 years, scientists from around the world have been publishing promising research on the possibility that Alzheimer’s could begin with a virus. Yet, very little funding has gone into understanding whether this could be the path to preventing neurodegeneration.
Researchers interested in evaluating the idea of cognitive resilience looked at 2,171 older men and women who were part of the large and ongoing Framingham Study, which has been looking at the physical and cognitive health of three generations of people living in Massachusetts. A variety of lifestyle factors may contribute to cognitive resilience and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease including: many years of formal education; working in a job that requires complex thinking and analysis; engaging in hobbies and recreational activities that are mentally challenging, such as learning a new language or musical instrument, or engaging in puzzles; getting regular exercise; and eating a heart-healthy diet, such as a traditional Mediterranean-style diet. Research suggests that social factors like loneliness and isolation are associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline and the brain changes typical of Alzheimer’s disease. Older adults who have many friends and family members they feel they can count on are much less likely to develop dementia at a given age, even if their brains are shrunken or full of plaques and tangles. The researchers found that supportive listening was a uniquely critical factor in having high levels of cognitive resilience. Having a Listener You Can Depend On Is Good for Your Brain | Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (alzinfo.org)
There is a link between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementia types, results from a large, multigenerational study show. Parents of individuals with ADHD had 34% higher risk for any dementia than parents of those without ADHD. The risk for AD, the most common type of dementia, was 55% higher in parents of individuals with ADHD. Individuals with ADHD were more likely to have parents with early-onset dementia rather than late-onset dementia. Grandparents of individuals with ADHD had a 10% increased risk for dementia compared with grandparents of individuals without ADHD. The study was published online September 9 in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
Study finds, short and long sleep duration in older individuals are both associated with impaired cognition. Short sleep duration was defined as 6 hours or less and long sleep duration was defined as 9 hours or more. The researchers confirmed that short sleep was associated with greater amyloid beta (Aβ) burden. It’s thought that people who are sleeping more than 8 hours probably have something else going on, too, like cardiovascular health issues. Too Little, Too Much Sleep Tied to Impaired Cognition (medscape.com)
The Middle Alabama Area Agency on Aging (known as M4A) serves all communities in Blount, Chilton, Shelby, St. Clair, and Walker counties. Their mission is to help all individuals access information, assistance, and resources that will empower them to self-advocate, live independently, and enjoy the highest quality of life. M4A specializes in serving older adults and individuals with disabilities. M4A is proud to offer a one-stop shop for easy access to programs and services through their Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC).