ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, June 23, 11 – noon CT. Each week a dementia topic will be addressed. Come share your experience, brainstorm practical solutions, lighten your caregiving load! In honor of Father’s Day, we’ll be sharing special memories of Dad. For more information (205) 871-7970 or mpiggott@alzca.org. Join us on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81907621374
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 an for a loved one with dementia who requires continence care. Apply online athttps://alzca.org/continence/ or call
(205) 871-7970
Watch ACA’s webinar on “Assisted Living and Nursing Home Care During Covid-19″. The video features, Nick Beckham, a Regional Administrator with NHS Management; and Page Ensor, Vice President of Operations for Greenbrier Senior Living. https://youtu.be/oyEbZl4ZxvY
Calendar:
How Diet May Impact Dementia and Cognitive Decline AFA webinar, Tuesday, June 23rd, 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. with Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS of Rush University. https://alzfdn.org/event/webinar-diet-may-impact-alzheimers-dementia-cognitive-decline-2/
To celebrate June as Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, WAM is hosting a webinar: The Latest on Women’s Brains, Alzheimer’s Prevention, and Caregiving, June 25 at 1 pm CT. Maria Shriver hosts this virtual summit with journalist and daughter of Alzheimer’s, Paula Zahn, neuroscientist and author of The XX Brain, Lisa Mosconi, caregiving revolutionary and author of Creative Caregiving, Anne Basting. Sign up here.
The Central Alabama Aging Consortium and Dementia Friendly Alabama are hosting Caregiver Facebook Live Events every Friday afternoon at 1 pm. Topics include COVID 19, activities during isolation and dementia resources.https://www.facebook.com/DementiaFriendlyAL/
Be Brain Powerful® LIVE is a weekly virtual event series by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. Each week they are hosting a new episode with a different expert, presenting the best ways to promote brain health and stay engaged. These episodes are free, streaming LIVE on Facebook and Zoom, every Wednesday at 5:00 pm. If you’d like to register: click here.
Zoom Support Groups available online:
- West Alabama Area Agency on Aging, Caregiver Support Group, Tuesday, June 16, 2 – 3:30 pm. Contact Nikki Poe, nikki.poe@westal.org.
- CJFS CARES, Mondays at 1:30 pm and Thursdays at 7:30 pm. To get the Zoom link, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
- Lakeside Hospice, 1st Tuesday of each month, 2:00 pm, and 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:30 pm, contact Bit Thomaston, bthomaston@lakesidehospice.org
- Founders Place at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Tuesday’s at 10 am, contact Susan Logan, susanlogan65@gmail.com
- Briar Glen, Monday’s at noon, contact Ramsi Wilkes, ramsi.wilkes@jeaseniorliving.com
Alzheimer’s News:
A new report compiled by AARP and the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM) synthesizes a decade of lessons to help explain why women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s. Learn more
WAM release a consensus statement on the need for a national Alzheimer’s prevention goal. This statement is intended to express collective support for establishing a national prevention goal and for the importance of addressing barriers that stand in the way to equitably delivering prevention strategies to high-risk communities. See the attached statement. WAM invites you to sign on .
A June 11, 2020 Fierce Pharma article took another look at Biogen’s aducanumab FDA filing. The pharmaceutical company first halted the study of the drug; then took another look at the data and proceeded forward with the FDA approval process. Experts are split. Among 30 Alzheimer’s doctors who are “very familiar” with aducanumab’s data—20 academic doctors and 10 community docs—most said the drug should not be approved. However, many of the doctors surveyed also said they will prescribe the drug if it is approved.
A June 9, 2020 Being Patient Phil’s Journal piece by Phil Gutis chronicled his participation in Biogen’s latest aducanumab trial for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Gutis says, “Nothing will stop me from continuing to participate in the research that could help find a treatment or eventual cure for this disease.”
The quest for Alzheimer’s treatments is not progressing fast enough. Some researchers think we should be spending less time on mouse studies and more time studying the brains of non-human primates. Read about the world’s first possible baboon model for dementia research.
Learn more
Here’s the link to the CDC’s Covid-19 Guidance for Caregivers of People Living with Dementia in Community Settings:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/caregivers-dementia.html.
The Administration for Community Living (ADL) provides a wealth of info and resource for managing Covid-19. Check out this tip sheet for ideas on socializing and exploring the world through technology. Or these ideas to engage virtually. Learn more from the ADL our COVID-19 resource page.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun distributing billions in additional relief funds to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to help them combat the devastating effects of this pandemic. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/05/22/hhs-announces-nearly-4.9-billion-distribution-to-nursing-facilities-impacted-by-covid19.html
Our friends at Encore, a respite ministry at Canterbury United Methodist Church, share this short video with Sue Brown on eye-hand coordination exercises. https://youtu.be/iW4JdFueQU8
The Jefferson County Commission Community & Senior Services Division is providing free fans to eligible people over age 60 who reside in Jefferson County. Call Dedra Lewis, 205-325-5567. CaringDaily offers 6 affordable ways to stay cool: https://mailchi.mp/dailycaring/6-affordable-products-that-help-seniors-stay-cool-in-hot-weather-how-to-go-out-and-stay-safe-during-coronavirus?e=004e87827b
The Alabama Department Senior Services (ADSS) is drafting their 2021 – 2024 State Plan on Aging. You are invited to read and provide feedback. https://nacolg.org/images/pdf/State_Plan_on_Aging_Alabama_2021-2024.pdf
The goal is to submit a plan that is focused on continuing serving senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and caregivers over the next four years. Through coordination and collaboration with partners, we believe this plan focuses on ways to confront challenges in the state and to create potential solutions to help those we serve live at home with dignity and independence. Email your comments to: state.plan@adss.alabama.gov
ACA is partnering with LifeBio to create The Memory Project: Reminiscing Made Fun: Here’s a truly engaging activity that the whole family can enjoy, even from a distance. Today is the day to begin to record your life story or your family member’s story. LifeBio helps people ask the right questions to bring out the best memories and stories with the ultimate goal of creating a lasting and priceless legacy. Visit https://alzca.org/lifebio/ to learn more and receive a discount. ACA scholarships are also available.