Have a safe, happy Memorial Day Weekend!
Maria Shriver and Seth & Lauren Miller Rogen have teamed up to bring you an event you won’t want to miss— Brain It On: 2021, June 24, 10 CT. Join them as they hear from leading Alzheimer’s prevention experts and celebrity advocates during this free 90-minute virtual summit about the best ways to live a brain healthy life. Brain It On: 2021 | THE WOMEN’S ALZHEIMER’S MOVEMENT (thewomensalzheimersmovement.org)
In-person and zoom Support Groups:
· ACA’s Coffee Talk with Miller & Vance, Tuesday, June 1, 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, (in person starting June 1)-1st Tuesday of each month, 2:00 pm, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Parish Hall. 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:
After living in quarantine for over a year, many people are ready and looking forward to getting out of the house for a vacation. When someone in your family is living with dementia, this may create some unique challenges. Teepa Snow offers 8 Ways to Improve Vacations when Dementia Is Involved – Positive Approach to Care (teepasnow.com)
DailyCaring offers ideas for making Father’s Day special, including great gift ideas.
A diagnosis of early-onset dementia — dementia that becomes symptomatic before the age of 65 — can change everything instantly, altering one’s vision for the future, not to mention their immediate reality — and that of their partner or spouse. A new study highlights the ways of finding the balance between the loss and hardship, and also preserved meaning, positive time together and preserved relationship quality. Couples Facing Early-Onset Dementia Share Lessons Learned – Being Patient
This week the NBC’s Today Show hosted an interview with actress and brain health ambassador Mandy Moore. Learn more about UsAgainstAlzheimer’s new BrainGuide platform! Here is the link to the Today interview.
UK researchers conducted one of the largest studies of alcohol and brain health to date, finding there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for the brain; even moderate drinking adversely affects brain structure and function. There have been previous claims small amounts of alcohol are protective. The study published online found that any level of alcohol was associated with poorer brain health compared to no alcohol. Read more about the alarming increase in alcohol consumption during the pandemic:
The Alcohol Pandemic: Are We Ready for What’s Next? (medscape.com)
It has been suggested that higher weight or weight gain in older age may become beneficial for keeping up cognitive performance. However, new research challenges the “obesity paradox” in cognition, which suggests that overweight or obesity in older adults protects cognitive function. Obesity Paradox Challenged: Weight Gain Does Not Protect Cognition (medscape.com)
According to the CDC, each year, more than one out of four older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor. Falling once doubles your chances of falling again. Read more from the CDC: Important Facts about Falls | Home and Recreational Safety | CDC Injury Center. MySlumberYard offers a Guide to Bedroom Fall Prevention: https://myslumberyard.com/blog/bedroom-fall-prevention/
Support Alzheimer’s research by buying and using the Alzheimer’s semipostal stamp. https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/alzheimers-S_564204
The latest issue of AFTD News offers vital information, resources, and updates from the Association of Frontotemporal Dementia.
Employment Opportunity at The South Highland Center: The South Highland Center, a day program for Senior Adults, is looking for Program Assistants to provide care for clients to keep them engaged in activities and exercise while family members are at work. They are looking for someone who has experience working with seniors to facilitate activities of daily living, as well as, engaging them in fun activities. Part-time position with work days available Monday through Friday, 7:15 am to 5:30 pm. Contact Alison Walker at 205-933-2332.
3 Research Opportunities
Researchers at the University of Alabama are developing a technology that will help families living with dementia learn more about local services in their community and help connect them to the services they need. They hope to learn more about your experiences as a caregiver in finding support and learning about dementia care. They also want to learn your perspectives on how a new web/smartphone technology could better support caregivers in Alabama. To be eligible to participate, you must (1) live in Alabama, and (2) be an unpaid caregiver (family or friend) of someone living with dementia in the community. Interviews can be scheduled at a time that is convenient for you and will take about 45-60 minutes and can be done over the phone or on zoom. Participants will receive a $35 gift card for their time. Contact: Dr. Nicole Ruggiano: (205) 348-4654 or nruggiano@ua.edu.
Dr. Carolyn Pickering’s research team in the UAB School of Nursing is conducting caregiver research to learn about how behavioral symptoms of dementia change day-to-day. They are recruiting people who provide help or assistance to a person with dementia. You must own an iphone. Family caregivers will be asked to report on symptoms they see throughout the day in brief surveys sent to an app on their iPhone.
· All study activities are done from home and participants will be compensated for their time. https://www.caregivingresearch.org/dailybehaviors or contact Wes Dismuke at wdismuke@uab.edu.
UsAgainstAlzheimers is studying agitation: The study involves a 1-hour phone interview for current caregivers of individuals with confirmed Alzheimer’s who experience agitation (such as emotional distress, moving around excessively, or verbal or physical aggression). Caregivers must be with the person they care for at least 2 hours a day/4 days a week. The person cared for must not live alone (although long term care is okay). $100 Amazon gift cards will be given as thanks to people who complete the interview. The information collected is anonymous and confidential. Contact Ginny Biggar at vbiggar@usagainstalzheimers.org.
Learn about other studies by clicking: search for clinical trials and studies