ACA webinar, “COVID-19 and Dementia: Challenges and Strategies for Family Caregivers,” presented by Dr. Nicole Ruggiano, Associate Professor and DSW Program Director, Thursday, August 13 at 1 pm CST. Dr. Ruggiano is an Associate Professor and DSW Program Director within the School of Social Work at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Dr. Ruggiano’s research and advocacy work focus on improving access and quality of care for people with dementia and their families. Her research specifically focuses on developing and testing technologies that are designed to support and educate caregivers of people with dementia. She is also very involved in promoting caregiving-friendly policies at the local, state, and federal government levels. Register in advance for this webinar, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JJAdB7ExQl2djc8ROkMZ6w Alabama Draft Hospital visitation policy letter__8.7.20
ACA webinar, Mindset Transformation in Dementia, with Daphne Johnston, Founder of Respite Ministry and Respite for All Foundation, Thursday, August 20 at 1 pm CST. Daphne is an advocate for families living with memory loss and has made it her personal mission to help families, clergy and professionals better understand that trained volunteers are the immediate answer for combatting the isolation of Alzheimer’s disease. Her ministry helps individuals and their family members find purpose, dignity, and hope to live each day with meaning. Register in advance for this webinar you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LPax7M7VSn-3t9LdFXUcBA
Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama (ACA) is providing emergency assistance continence care. ACA will provide 2 cases of continence products (with gloves and wipes if available), shipped to your home if you have a need for a loved one with dementia who requires continence care. Apply online at https://alzca.org/continence/ or call (205) 871-7970
Calendar:
AARP Alabama for a telephone townhall Friday, August 7, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Learn more about protecting your brain health, what’s normal with aging and what’s not, and whether the stress we’re feeling during this pandemic might affect our health and brain health.
It will be webcast from the AARP Alabama Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/alabama.aarp/. Or DIAL IN: 877-229-8493 PIN 110166
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s free BrainStorm webcast, part of a series on health equity challenges created by COVID-19 in the dementia community and beyond, Friday, August 7, at 1 pm CST. The program will feature research leaders on how they are working to prioritize health equity in their COVID-19 research and why diversity matters in brain health research. Speakers include former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher. register here. If you are not able to attend, sign up here to be notified when the recorded webcast is available.
Marvelous Mondays Arts Collaborative, sponsored by Founders Place at Home, enjoy a new, 4-week Zoom series in August “starring” musician Henry Scott and storyteller Elizabeth Vander Kamp. Henry and Elizabeth are teaming up to offer an hour of creative fun, infused with whimsical songs and familiar hymns, stories, and a healthy dose of humor. Appropriate for all ages looking for a creativity break! Mondays in August: 10 17, & 24, 4:00-5:00 pm CST. To join, please send an email to Susanna Whitsett swhitsett@saint-lukes.com.
The NIA 2020 Dementia Care, Caregiving, and Services summit virtual meeting series will offer online sessions, August 13. Visit the summit website to view the agenda, register, and learn more about how to connect during the series.
Managing Dementia Care in the Time of COVID-19 with Teepa Snow, free via Zoom conference presented by Alzheimer’s Family Support Center of Cape Cod, Saturday, August 29, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM CST. COVID-19 has not diminished the needs of families dealing with dementia diseases, it has increased them. Staying safe during a pandemic is challenging enough for most of us; keeping someone with cognitive loss safe adds a whole other layer of difficulty to the mix. The challenges Alzheimer’s families are facing is unprecedented, and requires an unprecedented response. To register for the free conference, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/john-levin-memorial-virtual-free-alzheimers-conference-with-teepa-snow-tickets-109989355122.
M4A is offering free online training the first and third Wednesday of each month, from 10:00 am – 11:30. CEU’s offered. For more info: https://mailchi.mp/eea68af4b62f/scehhrgant-7873502?e=029e09a760
August 19: Managing your Medication/SenioRx: Alabama’s Prescription Assistance Program
September 2: Medicare Coverage and Social Security
September 16: Documents and Property Arrangements to Prepare for Death & Disability
Visit AFA’s Facebook page to take part in fun online programs. Enjoy art, music and movement. Programs can be viewed at any time during or after the event.
Zoom Support Groups available online:
- ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, August 11 , 11 – noon CST. Call (205) 871-7970 or mpiggott@alzca.org. Join us on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88250086658
- CJFS CARES, Mondays at 1:30 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
- Lakeside Hospice, 1st Tuesday of each month, 2:00 pm, contact Bit Thomaston, bthomaston@lakesidehospice.org
- West Alabama Area Agency on Aging, Caregiver Support Group, Tuesdays, contact Nikki Poe, nikki.poe@westal.org.
- Lakeside Hospice, 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:30 pm, contact Bit Thomaston, bthomaston@lakesidehospice.org
- CJFS CARES, Thursdays, 7:30 pm, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
Alzheimer’s News:
The Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (ADAP), the Protection & Advocacy Agency for the State of Alabama,sent a letter to the Governor and the Alabama Department of Public Health regarding the state’s previous ban on all visitors to health care facilities on April 22, 2020, asking for an exception for support people to visit people with disabilities. The state did amend its policy to add some helpful language (twice), but it hasn’t been enough to provide guidance to health care facilities, some of which are still not allowing support people (family caregivers) to visit people with disabilities (residents with dementia). Attached is another which will be sent requesting the state to adopt a much more specific policy, with examples from other states provided. Learn more.
Katie Manderson, a fourth-year pharmacy student at McWhorter School of Pharmacy, is surveying caregivers of people with Alzhiemers or other dementia about the healthcare they are receiving. The survey takes 10-15 minutes to complete. It is completely voluntary, no identifying information will be collected and responses are anonymous. This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at Samford University. Click the link to take the survey:
https://samford.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cA4BPIwFhJYa69f
See the summary results and our press release about the fifth UsAgainstAlzheimer’s A-LIST® survey. This new survey, taken July 16-21, shows the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Alzheimer’s community, including signs of faster declines in memory and behavior among people living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Two-thirds (67%) of the 167 caregivers in the survey said they observed a decline in their loved ones’ memory or behaviors since the coronavirus-related restrictions, closures, and isolation have been in place. In addition, 40% of the 40 patient respondents said their cognition had declined somewhat and another 2% reported significant declines since restrictions began.
Advances in Geriatric Medicine and Research has published an article on the first four A-LIST COVID-19 surveys.
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s has urged the federal government to require immediate COVID-19 testing of all residents and staff of long-term care facilities and collect and report COVID19 data by race and ethnicity. This month CMS announced it will require, rather than recommend, that all nursing homes in states with a 5% positivity rate or greater test all nursing home staff each week.
| Alzheimer’s Drug Trials Have Had a 99% Failure Rate. The Good News: There Are Currently More Than 100 in the Pipelines. A survey of all drugs currently in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease found 121 unique therapies being tested in 136 Alzheimer’s drug trials. That promising finding, however, comes with not only a high failure rate, but a warning that not enough people with cognitive problems are volunteering to participate in the trials. Here’s what else the survey found. Learn more |
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A Regular Old Flu Shot Could Cut Your Alzheimer’s Risk by 40%. Every fall, the reminders to get a flu shot can become so pervasive they can be easily ignored: “Yeah, yeah,” you say. “I need to get my flu shot, but I’ll do it tomorrow.” But what if scientists could prove that getting your flu shot could significantly reduce the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease? Would that help break through the white noise? |
A July 17, 2020 Blue Avocado article spoke with the Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s Founder Nihal Satyadev about his work getting young people involved in Alzheimer’s disease, its myriad societal implications and the current needs of our elders. “Alzheimer’s should be a thing of the past by 2040, and long-term care should be a hassle-less experience with innovative government funded solutions. In 2040, I will be 45, and I want my kids to think of Alzheimer’s like they would have of smallpox: a disease of the past.”
New Video Features the Story and Art of Lester Potts. This Is Alabama, in collaboration with Bryant Bank has released a video featuring the art and story of Lester E. Potts, Jr. as part of the Power of Caring video series, which highlights “people and organizations throughout the state of Alabama that epitomize the Power of Caring”. Lester’s son, Danny is a Tuscaloosa neurologist and has widely shared the transformative story of Lester’s Alzheimer’s journey. Following the link: https://www.thisisalabama.org/2020/07/30/this-alzheimers-patient-inspired-hundreds-with-his-stunning-art/