Jefferson County residents can register for the Covid vaccine. Call 205-858-2221 for the Jefferson County Covid-19 Call Center. Press 1 to speak to a representative. They will get your email and phone #, ask your age and health status. You will receive a confirmation email. When you are scheduled to make an appointment, they will notify you. Let’s all get vaccinated and get back to normal!
ACA received a pair of tickets to the Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL on Feb. 7, 2021, from the National Football League Referee Association. Chances to win the tickets are $15 or 5 chances for $100. A virtual drawing on zoom will be held Wednesday, January 20 at noon CT. https://alzca.org/nfl/
Alabama Lifespan Respite January Webinars. Register and see their complete list of offerings at https://alabamarespite.org/:
· Men as Caregivers, January 18, 10 am, CT
· The Power of Laughter, January, 23, 10 am, CT
The Food Brain Connection in Alzheimer’s, webinar sponsored by M4A, Wednesday, Januaury 27, 1 pm CT. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IynoxRxLSWW5ZwJVMgH90g
AFA offers monthly trainings to the public, check out the schedule for January and February: https://alzfdn.org/education-workshop/
The Dementia Action Alliance will be offering live engagement programs starting February 1st. A full schedule of programs and simple sign-up process will be posted onDAA’s website starting Monday, January 25th. Participants living with dementia really can enjoy offerings, such as Poetry Club, Guided Meditation, Whimsical Art and Sports Club, as well as the opportunity to connect with others.
Zoom Support Groups available online:
- ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, January 19, 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 every other Wednesday at 11:30, contact Maggie Dunaway at mdunaway@asburyonline.org.
- CJFS CARES, Thursdays, 7:30 pm, contact Pam Leonard, pam@cjfsbham.org.
Alzheimer’s News:
Could COVID-19 Increase Your Risk of Dementia: An international group of scientists are working to determine if there are any long term impacts on the brain, in a new study of more than 40,000 coronavirus patients . READ MORE
Get the latest on vaccines from M4A and the ACL. As millions of Americans begin to receive one of the FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines, they have created a new“Vaccination Information” section on their COVID-19 page with up-to-date resources, including:
States and territories are now distributing the vaccines. You can find information on vaccine distribution in your state in the “Follow your state’s guidance” section of our COVID-19 page.
Information from the CDC on the benefits of vaccination, who gets a vaccine first, and what to expect during your vaccination appointment.
A two-page brochure addressing common questions about guardians and the COVID-19 vaccine for long-term care facility residents developed by the National Center for State Courts, the American Bar Association, and the National Guardianship Association.
Several ACL grantees have developed plain language resources to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, including a plain language booklet developed by the Self-Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Resource Center and a two-page “social story” developed by the Center for Dignity in Health Care for People with Disabilities at the University of Cincinnati UCEDD.
A COVID-19 resource for people living with paralysis which has been updated by the Paralysis Resource Center, an ACL grantee, to include information on vaccines.
Researchers are working to make diagnosis more accurate, easier, more accessible, more affordable, and available on a faster timeline. Being Patient sat down with Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, a neurologist and the director of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health to ask him: How does Alzheimer’s diagnosis work? READ MORE
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Good news about chocolate! Healthy adults who drank a cocoa drink rich in flavanols, compounds found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including cocoa beans, performed better on tests of memory and thinking. Brain scans showed that the chocolate drink improved oxygen delivery to frontal areas of the brain critical for cognitive processing.
Incontinence is common in old age by itself and occurs in the majority of patients with dementia at some point. Although not as problematic as anger, aggression, agitation, or falls, incontinence is upsetting both to you and your loved one and is a major reason individuals with dementia end up leaving home and going into a facility. How to Manage Incontinence in Dementia | Psychology Today
Down syndrome is a set of cognitive and physical symptoms that result from having an extra copy of chromosome 21. Estimates suggest that 50% or more of people with Down syndrome will develop Alzheimer’s disease as they age. People with Down syndrome can begin to show symptoms of Alzheimer’s in their 40s, but changes in the brain that lead to these symptoms are thought to begin at least 10 years earlier. Learn more about Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome.
- Interested in volunteering for research on Alzheimer’s, related dementias, and cognitive health?
Caregiver Studies: - Mindfulness to Reduce Loneliness in Older Dementia Caregivers (nationwide)
- Online Self-Management Workshop for Rural Dementia Caregivers (nationwide)
- Psychotherapy to Promote Social Connection in Caregivers (nationwide)
Exercise and Lifestyle:
· Alzheimer’s Disease Discovery Study (ASSIST) (nationwide)
Featured Registries and Matching Services:
· Alzheimer’s Prevention Trials (APT) Webstudy — Enroll to track memory and thinking skills, and learn about Alzheimer’s trials
· Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry — Get information and updates about participating in future Alzheimer’s prevention trials
· Brain Health Registry — Sign up for an online study of brain health and learn about possible study opportunities for Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders
Check out 2 research opportunities for professional caregivers:
· Nicole Ruggiano, PhD, MSW, Associate Professor & DSW Program Director, UA School of Social Work has a project to learn how to develop technologies to improve access to services for people with dementia and their families. She wants to interview providers for about an hour and you will receive a $35 e-gift card for your time. See attached info.
· Research Study for nursing home workers to understand how to offer better support. Phone/zoom interviews with nursing home staff members who care for people with dementia. To quality, participants need to be at least 18 years of age and work in a nursing home (any position) in the Birmingham area. Participants will receive a $25 giftcard for their time and the interviews take 30-60 minutes. UAB Department of Sociology, clcain@uab.edu or 205-934-0565. See attached info.
AFA’s Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship Essay Contest is an annual competition for college-bound high school seniors. Applicants are asked to write a 1,200 to 1,500-word essay that describes the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on themselves, their families or their communities, and what they have learned in light of coping with the brain disorder. The grand prize winner receives $5,000, with additional prizes awarded for runners up. 2021 Essay Submission Deadline: Monday, February 15, 2021. Alzheimer’s Foundation of America | <AFA’s Teen Scholarship Essay Contest> (alzfdn.org)