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.
Watch a short video with Alison Walker, Director of the South Highland Center, as she talks about raising money for her ACA Walk team! https://youtu.be/ZoxVaoECeqw
Virtual Summit: 2022 National Alzheimer’s Summit (UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, October 12-13
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)
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.
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; 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 4, 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
- 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:
An experimental Alzheimer’s drug slowed cognitive and functional decline by 27 percent in a closely watched clinical trial, increasing the therapy’s chance for approval as soon as early next year. Japanese drugmaker Eisai and its American partner, Biogen, said the slowing of deterioration, compared with a placebo, was “highly statistically significant.” They said the drug, called lecanemab, had met the primary and secondary goals of the 18-month late-stage study. The trial results have not undergone peer review. The upbeat news served as a stark contrast to the calamitous rollout last year of another drug, marketed as Aduhelm. Like Aduhelm, lecanemab reduces abnormal clumps of beta amyloid, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. But unlike Aduhelm, for which the data was confused and conflicting, the trial results for lecanemab told a straightforward and encouraging story, some experts said. Aduhelm was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but Medicare refused to cover it broadly, and the drug collapsed in the marketplace. Experimental Alzheimer’s drug slows cognitive decline in trial, firms say – The Washington Post
Medicare Part B premiums will dip in 2023 due to a setback for Biogen Inc.’s Alzheimer’s disease medicine, which drew tight payment restrictions because of concerns about its safety and effectiveness. The standard monthly Part B premium will be $164.90 for 2023, a decrease of $5.20 from the 2022 rate, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said this week. Medicare officials increased the Part B premium from $148.50 to $170.10 in 2022 due in part to COVID-19 pandemic expenses and the expected sales of Biogen Inc.’s aducanumab (Aduhelm ) drug for Alzheimer’s disease. Biogen at first priced Aduhelm to cost about $56,000 a year per patient. That’s the price CMS used to calculate the 2022 Part B premium. But as criticism grew over Aduhelm, Massachusetts-based Biogen cut the price to $28,200. Medicare Part B Premium Dips on Alzheimer’s Drug Setback (medscape.com)
34% of Americans sleep more in winter than summer. However, if you have a medical condition such as sleep apnea that is disturbing your sleep, it can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and even dementia. We know that generally, patients who do not get enough sleep (typically 7-9 hours a night) have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, difficulty concentrating, mood disorders as well as worsening seizure and migraine frequency. Read WAM’s interview with Marri Horvat, MD who practices at Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorder Center. A Q&A With Dr. Marri Horvat of Cleveland Clinic (thewomensalzheimersmovement.org)
An estimated 33 to 60 percent of people living with Alzheimer’s disease have a firearm in the home, and 38 percent of care partners identify firearms as an issue of concern. Deciding what to do about firearms in the home adds to the challenges of providing safe care. In collaboration with care partners, dementia and firearm organizations and other experts, the Safe at Home team at the University of Colorado developed a free online educational resource to help care partners of persons living with dementia clarify values, make decisions about firearms access and take steps to improve safety at home. Visit the Safe at Home website.
A prognosis prediction model may help clinicians accurately predict death among older adults with dementia. The tool, which covers six measures ― age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and physical fitness ― may help clinicians better frame discussions about treatment and end-of-life decisions with patients. The median survival time from age at diagnosis varies widely, ranging from 3.3 to 11.7 years. The ability to better predict which patients are more likely to survive longer with dementia could significantly help with financial planning, clinical choices, the use of long-term care, and other types of decisions for this population. New Tool May Predict Mortality Risk for Older Adults With Dementia (medscape.com)
Read Teepa Snow’s blog on sundowning: 3 Tips for Managing Sundowning in Dementia Care – Positive Approach to Care (teepasnow.com)
Check out this list of 50 resources for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers to help you navigate the difficult waters of aging and memory loss.https://www.seniorlifestyle.com/resources/blog/50-essential-dementia-resources/
With early Alzheimer’s in the family, these sisters decided to test for the gene. Read about their journey. A gene test for early Alzheimer’s raises questions for families : Shots – Health News : NPR
Some cases of Alzheimer’s disease may be driven by the genetic risk factors that can underlie depression, according to researchers at Emory University. Their results suggest that the activity of at least seven genes may help explain why depression appears to increase the chances one may experience Alzheimer’s. Genetic risk factors that underlie depression may also drive Alzheimer’s disease | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
Nightmares in healthy middle-aged and older adults may be an independent risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, particularly in men, new research suggests. Not Just a Bad Dream: Nightmares May Predict Dementia (medscape.com)
The Dementia-Friendly Airports Working Group seeks to help promote and guide implementation of dementia friendly protocols in airports and has developed the newDFA Airport Sector Guide. Check out this new resource to learn more about taking action to create dementia-friendly airports that accommodate the needs of people living with dementia and their care partners. Learn more about how airports worldwide are supporting travelers who may need extra assistance. The Sunflower Program has been adopted in more than 20 countries and 150 airports, 50 of which are located in the U.S.
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