Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama’s support group, October 8, 11- 12:30. 300 Office Park Drive, Suite 225. Contact Miler Piggott mpiggott@alzca.org. For a complete list of support groups visit www.alzca.org.
Alzheimer’s in Alabama: Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama’s annual conference, Friday, October 18, Canterbury United Methodist Church, 8:30 – 3. Conference highlights include:
- Brian LeBlanc’s was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 and is living with vascular dementia. Brian realized that we seldom hear from people living with dementia and he knew he HAD to talk about it. His story, I Am Still ME!, provides a rare window into the journey of a “regular guy” from a “regular life” who is living with a progressive, disabling, degenerative brain disease.
- Jamie Tyrone learned of her 91 percent lifetime genetic risk of succumbing to Alzheimer’s disease. Only two percent of the population has this genetic status which motivated her to become a research volunteer and a dedicated advocate. Her personal experience of living with this genetic status has been a feature story in the New York Times and cover story in the Washington Post. Her bookFighting For My Life—How to Thrive in the Shadow of Alzheimer’s was released by HarperCollins May, 2019.
The cost to attend is $15 or $35 for those needing CEUs. Presenting Sponsor: Medical Properties Trust. To see full conference agenda and to register: https://alzca.org/conference/
Free, confidential memory screening, October 23, 9 – 2, Cooper Green Mercy Health Services, 1515 6th Avenue South. Sponsored by the Jefferson County Community Services & Workforce Development Senior Services Division. Call Dedra Lewis, 205-325-5567.
Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama Lunch and Learn, Tuesday, October 29, Navigating Grief, Especially During the Holidays, with Matthew Bunt, M.Ed., LPC-S, Outreach Coordinator, at The Amelia Center, Brookdale University Park, Gazebo Room, 11:30 – 1 pm. Presented by Medical Properties Trust. Brookdale University Park. Lunch is free but reservations are required, mpiggott@alzca.org.
Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama’s Walking to Remember, Saturday, November 2, inside the Riverchase Galleria, 8 am. Join with family and friends to Shine a Light on Alzheimer’s at this fun 3 mile indoor walk (or a distance that suits you). Walk in honor of memory of your loved one. Walkers raising a minimum of $50 receive a t-shirt. https://alzca.org/walking/ for more info.
Statewide Day of Prayer and Remembrance, Sunday, November 10.
Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama Annual Meeting and Candle Lighting Service, Thursday, November 14, Vestavia Hill Library, 6 – 7:30.
Virtual Dementia Tour, November 15, 9 – 2. Cooper Green Mercy Health Services, 1515 6th Avenue South. Sponsored by the Jefferson County Community Services & Workforce Development Senior Services Division. Call Dedra Lewis, 205-325-5567.
News to know:
The Middle Alabama Area Agency on Aging (M4A) has been awarded a three-year 1.5 Million Dollar grant from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) federal agency. The Alzheimer’s Disease Programs Initiative grant will enable M4A to launch its new PANDA (Providing Alzheimer’s Disease N’ Dementia Assistance) PROJECT to help people with Dementia (PWD), people with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDD), and caregivers receive additional care, support, and in-home services to Shelby County residents starting in 2020.
Beyond enhancing direct in-home support for these families, the funding will also expand M4A’s Dementia Friendly First Responder Training Program statewide; create and make available two new faith/community-based local caregiver respite programs; offer free Healthy Brain education programs; and support a Community Paramedic Program in the City of Pelham. According to Carolyn Fortner, M4A’s Executive Director, “This grant will have a tremendous impact for families who deal daily with struggles of caring for their loved one and need additional support”.
An October 1, 2019 National Institutes on Aging (NIA) press release announced the launch of The Alzheimer Centers for the Discovery of New Medicines, with the goal of diversifying and reinvigorating the Alzheimer’s disease drug development pipeline.
Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama is joining with UsAgainstAlzheimer’s in expressing our concern over a recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Draft Recommendation Statement and Draft Evidence Review: Screening for Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults which concludes that current evidence is “insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for cognitive impairment in older adults”. We believe screening and early detection gives families the opportunity to plan for long term care and even to make lifestyle changes that could positively impact the disease course. The formal deadline for submitting comments is Monday, October 7 at 5 p.m. Here is how you can weigh in:
- Sign onto UsAgainstAlzheiemer’s Letter – The latest version of the UsA2 comment letter is attached. If your organization wants to sign onto our letter,please provide your information here by 5 p.m. deadline on October 4. A copy of our draft comments is attached.
- Develop and Submit Your Own Comments – Any organization can develop and submit their own comments. You are welcome to use as much of the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s ’s letter as you would like in your submission, attributing those sections to our group.
Questions? Contact Kelly O’Brien at kobrien@usagainstalzheimers.org or 312-532-4881.
A new research review, Tip of the Iceberg: Assessing the Global Socioeconomic Costs of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias and Strategic Implications for Stakeholders, highlights the hidden costs of dementia such as the cost of health care for care partners, reduced quality of life and that “hidden” costs that stack up before diagnosis are overlooked by current estimates of dementia’s economic impact.
Asbury United Methodist Church is opening Anchor, a community respite ministry October 1. The program will provide fellowship and stimulation for people who have memory loss due to Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s or stroke. 6690 Cahaba Valley Road. Gina McIntyre is the program director. 205-529-63534. www.asburyonline.org/anchor.
In Touch is a new adult day care center in Alexander City. Housed in a historic home, the program is a welcoming place to be. 1055 Cherokee Road, Alexander City. Andrea Rashad is the program director, 265-392-3445.
For a complete list of respite and adult day care programs in central Alabama go towww.alzca.org
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