| Federal Advisory Council Holds First Meeting to Forge National Alzheimer's Plan | |  The recently established Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services convened for the first time on Tuesday to begin forging a comprehensive national plan to defeat Alzheimer's disease as charged by the National Alzheimer's Disease Project Act. Eric J. Hall, AFA's founding president and CEO, traveled to Washington, D.C. for the historic meeting in his role as member of the advisory council. At the meeting, Hall called for swift action on increased funding for Alzheimer's disease, with particular attention on research, clinical care and caregiver support. "We must do two very important things, which are to educate the general public about exactly what Alzheimer's disease is, and take into account plans that have already been created in 25 states and in other countries. We cannot waste time by reinventing the wheel," he said. At the kick off of the meeting, federal members of the council presented findings of an inventory across all government agencies of activities related to clinical care, long-term care and research. The research highlighted gaps and potential opportunities that will play a role in formulating the national plan. The assessment included specific Alzheimer's disease efforts currently taking place at the National Institutes of Health, the Administration on Aging, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius is expected to release the first report on a national action plan in December. The advisory council is made up of 15 federal members and 12 non-federal members. It will meet again in January. To view the full list of federal and non federal members of the council, click here http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/napa/#Meetings. | | United Nations Recognizes Alzheimer's Disease as 'Important Cause of Morbidity' Worldwide | |  The General Assembly of the United Nations last week issued a declaration that states, in part, that Assembly members "recognize that mental and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, are an important cause of morbidity and contribute to the global [non-communicable disease] NCD burden for which there is a need to provide equitable access to effective programmes and health care interventions." Following the historic statement, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) applauded the Assembly for its action. "The UN declaration sends a powerful message that Alzheimer's disease is a chronic disease of immense proportion that does not discriminate across geographic boundaries," said Eric J. Hall, AFA's founding president and CEO. "It is invaluable toward lifting Alzheimer's disease to the global platform necessary to attack this worldwide public health crisis, and offers hopes to countless families that this recognition can help advance efforts toward a cure and optimal care in all corners of the globe." The formal recognition was an outgrowth of the body's high-level meeting on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. Hall also praised Representatives Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chairs of the Bipartisan Congressional Alzheimer's Taskforce, along with 28 other taskforce members, for urging the United Nations last June to include Alzheimer's disease among its discussions at the summit. | | California Advocate Named 'Dementia Care Professional of the Year' | | | 
| | Cordula Dick-Muehlke, Ph.D.,
Executive Director, Alzheimer's Family Services Center, Huntington Beach, CA | Cordula Dick-Muehlke, Ph.D., of Santa Ana, CA has dedicated the last 25 years of her career to helping families who are facing Alzheimer's disease or another dementia, including turning a truly grassroots effort into a state-of-the-art model as executive director of Alzheimer's Family Services Center (AFSC) in Huntington Beach, CA, since 1995. In recognition of her outstanding achievements and dedication, Dementia Care Professionals of America (DCPA) this month named Dick-Muehlke the 2011 Dementia Care Professional of the Year. DCPA, AFA's professional membership and training division, has given the award annually since 2007 to someone "who demonstrates professional excellence in care, compassionate performance that exceeds expectations and a dedicated commitment to people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia." Dick-Muehlke's compassion for individuals with dementia is borne out of her own personal experience in caring for her older brother who had Down syndrome and developed dementia later in his life. "I deeply appreciate the recognition of my efforts to support the continued personhood of each individual with dementia," said Dick-Muehlke, a licensed clinical psychologist. "For me, this award will always serve as an encouragement to strive to even higher levels of excellence, care and compassion, as I continue my commitment to improve the lives of people affected by dementia and their families." In nominating Dick-Muehlke, Anita Rodriguez-Lambert, AFSC's director of development and communications, said, "Serving families facing Alzheimer's disease is not just an academic or professional interest [for her]--it is a way of life...Dr. Dick-Muehlke's efforts are helping transform dementia care--one family at a time." | | Study Highlights Enormous Distress of Informal Caregiving | |  Informal caregivers providing care for either an aging or disabled friend or relative have higher levels of serious psychological distress and negative health behavior compared to non-caregivers, according to a policy brief by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The brief reviewed data from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey of more than six million informal caregivers in the state who spend an average of 20 hours per week helping a friend or relative with activities of daily living such as bathing and managing medications. Among the many findings: - More than one million caregivers report moderate or serious distress levels, with almost one-third noting that their emotions interfere a lot with their household chores (29.9 percent) or social lives (32.9 percent). - Compared with both older caregivers and non-caregivers of the same age, middle-aged caregivers are more likely to binge drink (25.5. percent), smoke (15.9 percent), and/or be obese (30.1 percent). - Caregivers of all ages who reported serious psychological distress were 208 percent more likely to smoke than non-caregivers with serious psychological distress. - Nearly one-third (29 percent) of middle-aged caregivers are single, divorced or widowed; more than two-thirds (67.1 percent) have full- or part-time jobs; and nearly one-quarter (22.5 percent) are low-income. - Less than 10 percent (7.4 percent) of informal caregivers report being paid for the help they provide. Moreover, nearly 20 percent spent $250 or more of their own money on caregiving in the month prior to the survey. | | Researchers Question Hospitalizations for Nursing Home Residents with Dementia | |  A recent study found that 19 percent of nursing home residents with advanced dementia were hospitalized for questionable reasons near the end of their lives, and suggested that the ability to receive higher Medicare reimbursement upon moving these residents back to nursing homes after a brief hospitalization may be at play. While the research, funded by the National Institute on Aging, did not unearth any wrongdoings, the researchers noted that Medicare pays about three times the normal daily Medicaid rate of $175 for skilled nursing care after a hospital stay of three days or more. The study looked at Medicare records of 475,000 residents in multiple states from 2000 through 2007 to identify "burdensome" transitions of care, such as moving residents once or multiple times in the last three months of life, or if there were multiple hospitalizations or lack of continuity in nursing home residency after hospitalization in the last 90 days of life. It found that African Americans, Hispanics and people without an advanced directive were most at risk. Nursing home residents in regions with the most "burdensome" transitions were significantly more likely to have a feeding tube, have spent time in the ICU in the last month of life, have an ulcer, or have had a late enrollment in hospice. | | News to Use: | | - Join AFA and several other leading groups in Alzheimer's disease and related issues for #TalkAlz, a monthly twitter discussion designed to help family caregivers as they face Alzheimer's disease. Both family and professional caregivers are invited to weigh in and share relevant experiences. The one-hour chat occurs the second Tuesday of every month at 12 p.m. (ET). The next chat will take place Tuesday, October 11. To participate, follow the hashtag #TalkAlz. - Medicare Open Enrollment is earlier this year. It starts on October 15 and ends on December 7. During the annual open enrollment period, Medicare beneficiaries are able to explore their insurance options, and choose and change drug and healthcare plans. For more information, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24/7. - The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and Pfizer Inc. have developed a Web site designed to protect consumers from counterfeit prescription drugs and teach them how to find legitimate Web sites on where to buy them. On the site, www.AWARERx.com, they warn: "Counterfeit medications can be deadly. Many fake drugs contain too little, too much, or the wrong medicine, and may contain dangerous ingredients such as rat poison." The site contains recommendations of online pharmacies from the National Associations of Board of Pharmacy and the Pharmahelper online search engine with drug information, reviews, and price comparisons. | | | | - Diabetes further tied to increased risk for dementia...In a recent study, researchers confirmed that the incidence of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and all-cause dementia was significantly higher among individuals with diabetes than among participants with normal glucose tolerance. The study involved more than 1,000 adults aged 60 and older who were free of dementia at the start of the 15-year study; over the next 15 years, 23 percent developed dementia. A significant finding was that two-hour post-load glucose levels (PG), rather than fasting plasma glucose levels, which is another test involving a fast, were closely associated with increased risk of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. A glucose load is a specific amount of glucose given to someone, usually in the form of a concentrated glucose drink, as part of an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. Read More...
- Link found between a genetic mutation and inherited forms of two neurological disorders...A mutation on a single gene, C90RF72 on chromosome 9, accounts for nearly 50 percent of the cases of familial ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), as well as 21 percent of the cases of the more common, sporadic form of ALS in a population in Finland. It was also found to be the most common genetic abnormality in more than one-third of the cases of familial ALS in other groups of European ancestry, according to two correlated studies. Read More...
- A possible connection between sleep-wake cycles and amyloid beta production...Researchers found a link between circadian (sleep-wake cycle) patterns and amyloid beta production, the hallmark plaque found in the brain of people with Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that sleep deprivation may boost the risk of Alzheimer's disease. After analyzing participants' cerebrospinal fluid samples, they found increased amyloid beta deposits for people aged 18 to 60 and for adults 60 and older without amyloid beta deposits at onset, but not for the older adults with amyloid beta deposits at onset. For the younger individuals, significant changes in sleep-wake patterns also resulted in significant changes to their amyloid beta deposition, but changes were flatter among the older people who started with amyloid deposits. The activities of the participants while they were awake did not affect the amyloid beta levels, but peaks and drops in the sleep-wake cycle did seem to correlate with peaks and drops in amyloid beta levels for all participants. Read More...
|   Connect with AFA on Facebook and Twitter! | If you have a question or concern that you would like to discuss with a social worker, please write info@alzfdn.org or call (toll-free) 866-AFA-8484. © 2011 Alzheimer's Foundation of America | | | | | | Enroll in Free Webinars on Dementia | | AFA and Senior Helpers are sponsoring a Webinar series this fall for family caregivers and healthcare professionals on "Moving Forward with Alzheimer's and Dementia" with Teepa Snow, a renowned dementia care expert. The series is presented by the American Society on Aging and offers one CEU for healthcare professionals. "Understanding the Different Forms of Dementia." Monday, November 21, 2011 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (ET) To register, click here, https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/490043742. "Dementia and Caregiving: Focusing on the Person While Understanding the Progression"
Monday, December 19, 2011 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (ET) To register, click here, https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/440140022. | | | | GET INVOLVED! Take Part in AFA's November Events! National Commemorative Candle Lighting 2011 Sunday, November 13, 2011 Host a local ceremony and light "candles of care" to remember and honor those affected by this illness, and to educate the public. Please sign up at www.candlelighting.org National Memory Screening Day 2011 Tuesday, November 15, 2011 Offer free, confidential memory screenings and distribute educational materials about memory concerns, successful aging and resources. Please sign up at www.nationalmemoryscreening.org | | Exciting Scholarship and Volunteer Opportunities for Teens | | ...Emily lost her grandfather to Alzheimer's disease and was inspired to become a social worker by those who care for him.
...Holly was a caregiver for her father who had Alzheimer's disease and considers him her greatest teacher.
For students like Emily and Holly who are coping with Alzheimer's disease in their families, or for other teens volunteering in their communities, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) offers: - The AFA Teens for Alzheimer's Awareness College Scholarship - an essay competition for college-bound students. Annual scholarship application deadline: February 15. A grand-prize winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship; the first runner-up, $500; and second runner-up, $250.
- The AFA Teens Video Competition - a creative video competition open to teens ages 13-19. Annual video deadline: December 1. A grand-prize winner will receive $500, and a first runner-up will receive $250.
- AFA Teens chapters - student-led chapters that offer education, engagement and the opportunity to groom tomorrow's leaders.
For more information and applications, visit www.afateens.org or call (toll-free) 866-AFA-8484.
AFA Teens is a division of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing optimal care to individuals with dementia, and their families. Visit us at www.alzfdn.org. | | | AFA recently announced the formation of a Legacy Society, which offers special recognition to individuals who have included AFA in their wills or estate plans. Information about AFA's new Legacy Society is available at www.alzfdn.org or by contacting AFA at 866.232.8484 | | Want to support AFA on a regular basis? Donors can now make recurring monthly donations to AFA. A recurring monthly donation is a charge that is automatically deducted from your credit card each month. You may cancel at any time. To make convenient, automatic monthly donations, or a one-time donation, click here. | | Our Mission | | 
| | Our mission is "to provide optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families--through member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life." | | Contact Us | | To obtain more information about AFA, visit us at www.alzfdn.org or call us toll-free at 866-AFA-8484. | | | | |
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