Taco Mama, in Edgewood, is hosting a % of sales event to benefit ACA’s Jr. Board, Monday, April 26, from 5 – 9 pm. All proceeds will fund ACA’s Pre-Doctoral Scholars Program in Alzheimer’s Research at UAB.
Join Being Patient for LiveTalk: Building a New Life After an Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Diagnosis with Brian LeBlanc. Brian will share how he has found meaning and new relationships after he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2014.
Reserve your seat now for the free talk Monday, April 12 at 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET >>
Parkinson’s/Dementia Virtual Reality: April 13. 10 am. Step into the world of Dima Harb with an enriching virtual reality experience. Virtual reality (VR) technology allows you to embody an immersive learning experience, by becoming Dima, a Lebanese-American immigrant living with LBD and PD, discover how you can transform your involvement and knowledge as a caregiver or care partner. Register at https://m.facebook.com/events/287850056061337
Zoom Support Groups available online:
- ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, April 13, 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 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
- Pell City, 1st Tuesday of each month, 2:00 pm, contact Bit Thomaston, Ethomaston50@gmail.com
- West Alabama Area Agency on Aging, Caregiver Support Group, Tuesdays, contact Nikki Poe, nikki.poe@westal.org.
- Leeds, 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:30 pm, 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.
- CJFS CARES, Thursdays, 7:30 pm, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
Alzheimer’s News:
According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans you should do at least 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, like brisk walking or fast dancing. Being active at least 3 days a week is best but doing anything is better than doing nothing at all. Now new research suggests higher levels of physical activity at midlife are not linked to more positive cognitive outcomes. The new study following 1700 women showed no significant association between midlife activity and concurrent cognitive performance or subsequent cognitive decline. These findings diverge from those of previous research that suggested a cognitive benefit of exercise at midlife. However, most of those studies examined outcomes at one point in time and did not include a long follow-up. No Link to Midlife Exercise and Cognitive Outcomes? (medscape.com)
It’s long been known that people with Alzheimer’s disease have struggles with language that worsen as the disease progresses. Now a new study shows how subtle written language impairments may begin years before an Alzheimer’s diagnosis becomes likely. The study, from researchers at IBM, found that analysis of writing samples from older men and women with normal memory and thinking skills may help predict who develops Alzheimer’s years later. Writing Samples May Predict Onset of Alzheimer’s Years Later | Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (alzinfo.org)
BrainGuide by @UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is a first-of-its-kind platform that empowers people with knowledge and resources to take the best next steps in managing their own or a loved one’s brain health. BrainGuide helps people get started with confidence, wherever they are, on their brain health journey. Take the first step by visiting www.mybrainguide.org or by calling 855-BRAIN-411.
It is often assumed that cognitive decline is an inevitable part of aging, but a new study of centenarians suggests otherwise.Investigators found that despite the presence of neuropathologies associated with Alzheimer’s, many centenarians maintained high levels of cognitive performance. The study was published online in JAMA Network Open.
Many individuals are complaining of “brain fog” after an infection with COVID-19. Brain fog is not a medical or scientific term; it is used by individuals to describe how they feel when their thinking is sluggish, fuzzy, and not sharp. What is COVID-19 brain fog — and how can you clear it? – Harvard Health Blog – Harvard Health Publishing
Two thirds of the more than 30 million people live with Alzheimer’s disease worldwide are women. Scientists used to attribute this discrepancy to the fact that women on average live longer than men. Mounting evidence suggests that a distinction in the chemistry or structure of women’s brains may be a factor — a distinction that may lead to a sex-based difference in the appearance and aggregation of tau and beta-amyloid proteins, key biomarkers of Alzheimer’s. In a study published this month in Brain, researchers found evidence that the protein tau accumulates at a higher rate in women. Gender and Alzheimer’s: Study Finds Harmful Proteins Accumulate Faster in Women’s Brains – Being Patient
Keeping your brain healthy is one of the most researched topics around. That means there’s a lot of good information available on brain health but there are a lot of pie-in-the-sky myths, too. Here are the top 6 Myths about Brain Health: 1) Brain health steadily declines with age. 2) A good memory indicates good mental health. 3) Multitasking gives your brain a good workout. 4) People with high IQs have more brainpower. 5) Supplements can keep you sharp as you age. 6) Your mood has little to do with your mind. Tips to Be Fit: 6 myths to know about your brain | Lifestyle | phillytrib.com
When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease, deep sleep functions like a janitor sweeping away garbage that builds up. In this case, the garbage is two different proteins: beta-amyloid (plaque that builds up in the brain) and tau (toxic tangles that form in brain cells). Both beta-amyloid and tau are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. As they accumulate in your brain, they destroy neurons and disrupt vital neural processes – eventually affecting your ability to remember, think and function independently. The less plaque and fewer tangles you have, the less risk you have of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Can deep sleep protect you against Alzheimer’s disease? | UCLA Health Connect
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected Acadia Pharmaceuticals’ request that Nuplazid (pimavanserin) be the first approved treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with dementia-related psychosis.
The Humans of Dementia Storytelling Contest is accepting submissions until April 22. This year’s contest, for high school or college in the U.S. or Canada is focusing on intergenerational storytelling and will accept written and photo submissions featuring individuals currently living with or who have passed away from Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia.