Alabama Respite Webinars, register at alabamarespite.org:
- Weighing Your Options as a Family, Part II, September 25, 10 am
- Understanding Alzheimer’s, September 28, 10 am
Senate hearing, “Toxic Conservatorships: The Need for Reform,” Tuesday, September 28 at 1:30 CT,https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/toxic-conservatorships-the-need-for-reform. There has been a great deal of discussion regarding the benefits of conservatorships versus the risks of undue harm for individuals who have their financial affairs or daily life placed under the control of a court-appointed guardian. Information and resources regarding conservatorship:https://ncea.acl.gov/Resources/Publications.aspx#guard_conserve
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 28, 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:
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
Studies have shown, games can be good for the brain. Jigsaw, crosswords, and number puzzles have been found to improve cognitive function in older adults. Meanwhile, some studies have shown that board games, chess, checkers and analog games appear to help enhance the brain’s processing speed and memory. What Games Should You Play For Better Brain Health? – Being Patient
The UsAgainstAlzheimer’s A-LIST team is asking people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, caregivers and people interested in brain health to take a short survey on brain health. UsAgainstAlzheimer’s A-LIST is an online study looking at the experience of living with this disease and caring for a loved one. They are working with researchers from the Emory University School of Nursing and the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas. To take the survey, you will first click this link, then you will be asked to provide your name and email and electronically sign the consent form (click “Yes, I agree.”) After signing the consent, you will be directed to the survey.
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s launched a new podcast, BrainStorm. Accessible through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, the guest for the first BrainStorm podcast is Dr. Rudy Tanzi, a recognized rockstar in Alzheimer’s research and a staunch proponent of prevention.
This Dementia Life is a heartwarming podcast about living life with dementia. Hear from inspiring people living with dementia and from those who care about them. Host Chuck McClatchey talks with Nancy Nelson, who was diagnosed with dementia eight years ago.Nancy Nelson | This Dementia Life Ep#31 – Dementia Action Alliance (daanow.org)
Researchers are studying the aggregation of proteins, that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and type 2 diabetes, aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Studying how these proteins clump together could help scientists understand the processes behind the development of these neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers Launch Protein Aggregation Experiments Into Space (alzheimersnewstoday.com)
Traumatic experiences, especially sexual assault, may put women at greater risk for poor brain health. In the Ms Brain study, middle-aged women with trauma exposure had a greater volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) than those without trauma. In addition, the differences persisted even after adjusting for depressive or post-traumatic stress symptoms. WMHs are an important indicator of small vessel disease in the brain and have been linked to future stroke risk, dementia risk and mortality. Sexual Assault in Women Tied to Increased Stroke, Dementia Risk (medscape.com)
An impressive new study is presenting robust evidence showing the toxic proteins thought to be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease may be produced in the liver and travel through the blood before landing in the brain causing neuron damage. Most mouse models used in Alzheimer’s research involve engineering the animals to overexpress amyloid production in the central nervous system, which only really resembles the minority of humans suffering from hereditary early-onset Alzheimer’s. The breakthrough in this new research is the development of a new animal model of Alzheimer’s disease. Here, the researchers engineered a mouse to produce human amyloid proteins solely in the liver, and this allowed for novel observations into how these proteins can enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain. Landmark study presents evidence Alzheimer’s disease begins in the liver (newatlas.com)
Dementia Action Alliance’s Arts & Dementia Facebook community is open to all people affected by dementia with an interest in the arts. The Facebook page offers an engaged online community for people looking to share their work, offer words of encouragement, or to simply enjoy the creativity of others. Building Community at the Intersection of Arts and Dementia – Dementia Action Alliance (daanow.org)
A new AARP study estimates that family caregivers typically spend $7,242 (or 26 percent of their income, on average) per year on out-of-pocket costs. To cover the extra expense, many family caregivers have to pare back their own spending. They often save less for retirement, and many have dipped into personal or retirement savings. While the majority of family caregivers are women, more and more men are also experiencing the financial burden of caregiving. Growing Pressures Face Unpaid Family Caregivers (asaging.org)
On World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21, Maria Shriver and her son Patrick Schwarzenegger announced the launch of their new mission-driven brain health and wellness brand, MOSH. A portion of the MOSH proceeds will fund gender-based Alzheimer’s research. So grab a MOSH bar and read more about Maria’s vision for the company.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report titled, “Global Status Report on the Public Health Response to Dementia”. As part of WHO’s implementation of its global dementia action plan, this report provide essential information to assess the global process of member country’s public health response to dementia. WHO hopes the report will lead to increased international and national advocacy efforts and the prioritization of dementia on health agendas. 9789240034624-eng.pdf (who.int)