MUST READS

A March 5, 2020 The New York Times article looked to a study out of Korea which found that moderate drinking is associated with reduced levels of beta amyloid, a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. 'Moderate alcohol consumption' is defined as less than 13 drinks a week. According to the article, “Dr. Dong Young Lee, the senior author and a professor of psychiatry at Seoul National University College of Medicine, cautioned that this was an observational study that looked at people at one point in time, and does not prove cause and effect… “In people without dementia and without alcohol abuse or dependency, moderate drinking appears to be helpful as far as brain health is concerned.””

FINANCES

A March 5, 2020 Yahoo! Finance (from PR Newswire) release announced a one million dollar donation to Cure Alzheimer's Fund from the Berg Family in honor of their late mother Maxine, to explore vital questions about Alzheimer's disease pathology. "It was so hard for our father, Richard, to lose his wife, Maxine, to this terrible disease. Alzheimer's robbed our family of precious years with the wife and mother we loved so much. We want to further the research necessary to prevent other families from experiencing this painful loss and hope our donation to Cure Alzheimer's Fund will help fulfill our father's wish," said Kristin, Laurie and Steven Berg.

DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY

A March 5, 2020 KLTV ABC 7 article spotlighted efforts to educate law enforcement officers about best practices for dealing with people with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia on a domestic call. Families often call 911 if a loved one becomes out of control or dangerous, and police may mistake dementia symptoms for drug or alcohol consumption. According to the article, “Despite the frequency of interactions, in 2015 only 10 states had laws requiring dementia training for first responders and law enforcement personnel, and only 6 states required training for APS workers.”

EVENTS AND RESOURCES 

Apply for one of HFC® (formerly Hilarity for Charity) and Home Instead Senior Care®’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care relief grants for family caregivers. The Recharge Relief Grant or Extended Relief Respite Grant is open to caregivers in the US or Canada who are facing financial and emotional hardships due to the unique challenges of being a dementia caregiver. Apply here.