February 17, 2016

Today's Top News

USA2 SPOTLIGHT 

A February 16, 2016 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s press statement applauded patient and caregiver advocate Mara Botonis and Alzheimer’s Tennessee’s Janice Wade-Whitehead for their recent participation in the the Peer Reviewed Alzheimer’s Research Program (PRARP) sponsored by the Department of Defense. Mara Botonis was nominated by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and Janice Wade-Whitehead is a founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Women’s Network.  

A February 10, 2016 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s blog post by Ann Napoletan highlighted a recent Alzheimer’s Talks with caregiver and author Dan Gasby. According to Napoletan, “As I listened to Gasby describe his thoughts and feelings, I felt a deep sense of validation. So much of what he shares is parallel to my experience with my mother. He likens his role to that of a single parent, juggling competing responsibilities without the help of a partner. He has learned there’s no negotiating with someone who has Alzheimer’s. Like all of us who have walked this path, he reminds himself that the lashing out and the unkind words are the disease – not the person. Still, it’s difficult not to react, he says, because we’re human. Sometimes taking on a clinical mindset helps in these moments, he offers.”


MUST READS

February 17, 2016 FoxNews.com article reported that “Researchers have identified "ground zero" for Alzheimer’s in the brain: the place the disease appears to strike first and a region they say may be more important to keep sharp than previously thought.”

A February 16, 2016 Chicago Tribune article highlighted the health impact of caregiving. According to the article, “Millions of family and friends who help older, disabled adults manage medications and navigate the health system may be sacrificing their own well-being, a new study suggests. Caregivers who provided "substantial help" with health care in these settings were roughly twice as likely to experience physical, financial and emotional difficulties as those who did not provide that help, the study found. Such caregivers, if they worked for a living, were three times more likely to be less productive on the job due to caregiving-related distractions and fatigue, according to the analysis.”

A February 16, 2016 Marketplace article highlighted “a push for more transparency in drug research costs.” According to the article, “There's a line of thinking in health care these days that goes something like this: To get more bang for the buck in medicine, you need more transparency about how much things really cost. And it is in that line of thinking that the Obama Administration has proposed this idea in its budget, to require drugmakers to share publicly what they're spending on research and development. It's also an idea that's on the table in half a dozen capitals around the country. While it can be hard to hate on transparency — that’s like hating on baseball, apple pie or Taylor Swift — the industry trade group PhRMA has got no love.”


INTERESTING READS FROM THE WEB

PharmaTimes: AbbVie joins UK's dementia consortium

UB Reporter: UB receives grant to launch Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence

DailyTelegraph: Dementia diagnoses set to double on coast by 2050, experts warn

Today.com: Can brain games keep aging minds young? There's an app for that, says scientists

Dating Dementia: Time Magazine Features New, Innovative Alzheimer’s Research. Is a Cure in Sight?