Stay tuned for details on ACA’s webinar next week. A conversation with Alabama experts on covid 19 care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Details to follow.
Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama (ACA) is a local organization that provides education, services, advocacy, and research for caregivers and patients living in the 21 counties across central Alabama. ACA can provide 2 cases of continence products (with gloves and wipes if available), shipped to your home if you have an emergency need for assistance for a loved one with dementia who requires continence care. Apply online at https://alzca.org/continence/ or call (205)871-7970
Calendar:
Join Brookdale for a Virtual Art Activity Wednesday, June 10th at 2:00 pm. Registration ends today so they can mail you the supplies you need by Wednesday. Gopal Bengeri will lead us in coloring a stained glass window. https://brookdale.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIkce-rqTMsH9PREn5D-GntFScP08o7_JQR
AFA webinar on Music Therapy, Thursday, June 11, at noon CT. To register: https://alzfdn.org/event/care-connection-webinar-bringing-music-therapy-individuals-living-alzheimers-care-partners/
Virtual BREAK Meeting, June 15, 10 – 11 am. Breath In. Relax. Enjoy life. Appreciate All. Know rest is vital. Sponsored by Alabama Lifespan respite. Email bhuey@ucphuntsville.org.
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, Thursday evenings, 7:30 pm 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:
Watch ACA’s conversation with Dr. Renee Harmon on Mapping the Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease: https://youtu.be/F5raHBlA6YU
Renee is a physician and was a caregiver for her husband Harvey who had early onset dementia. Her weekly blog is a wealth of information, inspiration and support for caregivers. Read her latest post here:
https://www.reneeharmon.com/2020/06/03/why-and-how-alzheimers-progresses/
June, which is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Kristine Yaffe, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Epidemiology at UCSF, for her tips to caring for our brain health starting today!
Read her answers HERE.
Protecting nursing home residents: HHS is working to stop the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Today, HHS began distributing nearly $5 billion to help nursing homes combat COVID-19 and this week CMS released new guidance for states and local officials to ensure safe reopening of nursing homes across the country. The guidance details critical steps nursing homes and communities should take prior to relaxing restrictions.
Alzheimer’s and dementia can cause aggressive behavior, even in people who have never been violent in their lives. These behaviors can be scary and difficult for caregivers to handle. Older adults could scream, curse, bite, grab, hit, kick, push, or throw things. There’s no solution that can prevent all angry outbursts, but there are effective ways to minimize upset, reduce your stress, and increase the safety of everyone involved. DailyCaring offers 7 ways to reduce and prepare for these aggressive dementia episodes. https://dailycaring.com/7-ways-to-reduce-and-prepare-for-aggressive-dementia-behaviors/?utm_source=DailyCaring&utm_campaign=aae817b75e-DC_Email_2020-06-01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_57c250b62e-aae817b75e-123515277
Navigating FTD Long-Term Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic with neurologist Dr. Carmela Tartaglia of the University of Toronto, from The Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration. https://www.theaftd.org/navigating-ftd-long-term-care-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
The Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration offers great advice for managaing resistant behaviors. AFTD <ftdcare@theaftd.org> https://www.theaftd.org/im-only-trying-to-help-approaches-to-resistant-behavior-in-the-home/
A May 26, 2020 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s press announcement urged required, comprehensive COVID-19 testing of all nursing homes and long-term care community staff and residents. A UsA2 letter to National Governor’s Association Chair Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan thanked him for his leadership, on behalf of the dementia community. “Making comprehensive testing of all residents and staff in long-term care communities a reality will require action from both state and federal officials.
Watch UsAgainstAlzheimer’s BrainStorm webcast, with University of Texas at Dallas Researcher Dr. Sandra Chapman on the impact of stress and anxiety, and the science of cognitive training and taking charge of your brain health.
A May 26, 2020 Ms. Magazine health voices article by Ellen Bravo spotlighted the phenomena of dying alone in the age of COVID-19.
Typically, the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear in people in their mid-60s. Memory problems are often one of the first signs of cognitive impairment related to Alzheimer’s disease. A decline in other aspects of cognition, such as word-finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment, may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Explore NIA’s webpage to learn the signs of the different stages of Alzheimer’s disease: preclinical, mild, moderate, and severe.
Is your loved one living in a nursing home. AARP wants to hear from you. AARP is fighting to protect vulnerable seniors in nursing homes, assisted living, and other long-term care facilities from sickness, isolation, and neglect during the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to hear your experience
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.
Stay tuned! Our regular schedule of support groups, education events and fundraisers will resume as soon as possible!!
- Friday, July 31, Glow for a Cure Golf Tournament, Jr. Board
- Friday, September 25, Garden Art Party
- Tuesday, September 29, Lunch & Learn
- October 15, Eastern Women of 50 golf tournament benefits ACA
- Saturday, November 7, Walking to Remember
- Sunday, November 8, Day of Prayer