USA2 SPOTLIGHT

An October 15, 2019 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s release spotlighted a new UsA2/A-LIST and Mayo Clinic joint research paper identifying best practices for involving family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and dementia in clinical appointments. According to the release, “This research provides a unique perspective on the often-overlooked views of patients and their caregivers of a medical appointment experienced through the lens of people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, their caregivers and physicians.” “Our study gives voice to people with mild cognitive impairment and their caregivers and identifies potential best practices to integrate caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias into clinical appointments through individual and systemic adoption,” said study co-author Joan Griffin, PhD of Mayo.

Listen to The Balm In Gilead’s “Understanding the Realities of Alzheimer’s Disease” podcast. Dr. Pernessa Seele speaks with UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Founding Board Member Meryl Comer, and Dr. Marsha Henderson, former Commissioner for Women’s Health at the Food and Drug Administration.

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

An October 8, 2019 Purdue University release announced that Tymora Analytical Operations (university affiliated) received a $225,000 SBIR grant from the NIH/NIA for its “EVtrap” approach to analyzing blood and plasma for earlier detection of Alzheimer’s disease. EVtrap looks for exosome proteins and phosphoproteins that are AD-signaling. According to Tymora’s Anton Iliuk, “Our company is working to help make earlier detection of Alzheimer’s and other diseases easier and less agonizing for people, plus provide doctors with earlier diagnoses to help improve treatments. We are taking samples of healthy individuals and those already with early or late onset of Alzheimer’s to compare and focus on known and new markers linked to the disease.”

FAITH SPOTLIGHT

An October 14, 2019 The South Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church post highlighted the Joyful Stitchers, a sewing group which creates activity lap blankets for people with dementia. Pat Scrogham conceptualized the blankets to help keep her mom’s hands busy. According to the post, “Each dementia/Alzheimer’s activity blanket is made of nine eight-inch squares of different fabric. They’re sewn together, filling is added, and a back is attached. Each square has an embellishment sewn onto it: a button or two, a couple of bows, a zipper, a piece of Velcro. Those who receive the mats like to hold them in their lap and play with them.”