USA2 SPOTLIGHT

Join us TODAY! Thursday, June 20, 2019 for our next Alzheimer's Talks at 2pm (EST). UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Founding Board Member Meryl Comer will interview Woman's Day editor-in-chief Susan Spencer. They'll discuss Woman's Day’s commitment to brain health, including their partnership in our Be Brain Powerful campaign, and why women need to prioritize brain health.  

A June 19, 2019 Integrated Care News article by Barry J. Jacobs examined the physician-caregiver relationship. In 2010, the American College of Physicians urged physicians to “be alert for signs of distress in the family caregivers and suggest appropriate referrals.” However, results from a recent UsAgainstAlzheimer’s A-LIST survey of over 600 current and former family caregivers showed that physicians still have a long way to go toward addressing these issues. According to Jacobs, “…We need more concerted educational efforts than ever to infuse all of healthcare with an appreciation for social and psychological factors. Family is frequently at the heart of both… We need them as partners in healthcare.”

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

According to a June 19, 2019 MedPage Today article, an ATN (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration) classification system prediction model improved prognosis for memory decline, when compared with a model using only clinical and genetic variables. The goal of the classification system is to differentiate Alzheimer’s from other forms of dementia. “The ultimate measure of clinical utility in this area is prediction of cognitive decline. In this work, we show that ATN biomarker profiles consistent with either Alzheimer's disease, or with Alzheimer's plus one or more other diseases, can predict cognitive decline,” said Clifford Jack Jr., MD, of the Mayo Clinic.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

A June 16, 2019 WRGB Albany CBS 6 News broadcast segment spotlighted Dave Blakelock, who is playing golf across the country to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease. He plays a purple Alzheimer’s awareness ball at every third hole.

DEMENTIA FRIENDLY

(ICYMI) A June 9, 2019 WCCO Minnesota CBS 4 broadcast segmentfeatured the Life-Long Singers, a choir comprised mostly of people with dementia and their loved ones, singing crowd-pleasers. “It brings joy to them because they fit in and they feel a sense of community,” said one member. “It’s a permanent, progressive disease. Toward the end of the disease, music still works, touch still works, long term memory works, humor. It’s so important that we don’t put somebody in a box and don’t assume they can’t do things, when they probably can,” said dementia care specialist Nancy Abrahamson.