MUST READS

A February 21, 2018 MSN article highlighted the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which is now accepting applications for grants from scientists researching Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan have earmarked $3.5 million for early career scientists, as well as scientists in different fields that want to apply their work to neurodegeneration.

A February 21, 2018 Alzheimer’s News Today article reported that Texas A&M’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine is teaming up with Celltex Therapeutics to test whether inflammation-fighting mesenchymal stem cell exosomes can be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Exosomes can decrease brain damage from injuries and status epilepticus seizure disorder (lasting 30 minutes or longer). Brain inflammation from the seizures is similar to late stage Alzheimer’s. 

RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

According to a February 20, 2018 Fierce Biotech article, AbbVie and Voyager Therapeutics are collaborating on a tau-targeting program for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. They will develop a one-time treatment using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors to produce ‘vectorized’ antibodies within the brain. According to AbbVie, “One of the current limitations with the use of weekly or biweekly infusions of biologic therapies for neurodegenerative diseases is that only a small amount of drug is able to make its way into the brain.”  

YOUTH FOCUS

A February 20, 2018 The Jewish News of Northern California “Family Matters” column by Rita Clancy, LCSW of Jewish Family & Community Services of the East Bay replied to a reader’s question about how to explain her mom’s Alzheimer’s disease to her young son. Clancy writes, “Your son will have a lot of feelings about this change in his life — and he likely will not know how to articulate them, or even want to. He could be concerned about his grandma or feel conflicted that all this attention is going in her direction. He could feel stigma that his grandma seems different from his friends’ grandmas. He may be uncomfortable that she is forgetful, acts strange at times and even seems unfriendly. Provide as much reassurance as possible that she still loves him, even as things are changing. And it’s extremely important to acknowledge his feelings of loss and grief.”

CAREGIVING CORNER

In a February 19, 2018 Mommy Hero blog post, Lisa Hirsch spoke about the simple act of holding hands with her mom, who has Alzheimer’s disease. Hirsch writes, “As our fingers are intertwined like never before, as we hold each other's hands, it feels to me as if I never want to let go. It was at this very moment that I became aware of how meaningful human touch is with my mother. Mom's fingers spoke words to me. They told me how much she loved me as I felt her warmth and tenderness like never before.” Hirsch has been her mom’s caregiver for 14 years.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

A February 20, 2018 Daily Breeze article reported that Los Angeles County will initiate a program offering “Project Lifesaver” trackable bracelets to people who wander. In addition to the bracelets, The Bringing Our Loved Ones Home Task Force created new protocols and training for law enforcement, service agencies and hospital officials to improve coordination when people with memory loss are missing. “Sixty percent of individuals with Alzheimer’s and 49 percent of children with autism will wander at some point and their caregivers live in constant fear of not knowing what will happen if they turn their backs,” said County Supervisor Janice Hahn.

FEEL GOOD STORY OF THE DAY

A February 21, 2018 KSWO ABC 7 News video and article spotlighted Mary Wright-McCourt, who is bringing “Angie’s Babies” baby dolls to nursing homes for people with Alzheimer’s disease on Mother’s Day. The project is named after Angie Clark, who had AD. According to Wright-McCourt, "It's bringing love, it's bringing goodness to people. There's so much negativity out in the world, so if we can spread a little bit of love and show people we care. A lot of them when they're in nursing homes, sometimes they're just forgotten. People don't visit them. So if we can walk into a nursing home and leave this baby with someone who has Alzheimer's, it's going to make them so happy."