USA2 SPOTLIGHT

Dementia Friendly America (DFA), a national collaborative of Alzheimer’s organizations, companies and advocates, announced the U.S. launch of the Dementia Friends program, a global initiative to empower people and communities, and educate about dementia. UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is a funding partner of DFA. Become a Dementia Friend on their website. Watch the online training videos. 

A January 23, 2017 Forbes article highlights the new PBS film premiering tomorrow at 10pm (EST), “Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts,” featuring LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s caregiver advocate, Daisy Duarte. Duarte cares for her mom, who is only 61 years old, and already in the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease. She has early-onset or younger-onset Alzheimer’s. “If you look at the top ten diseases, of how people die, Alzheimer’s is the only one where there are no survivors, and there is nothing we can do to prevent it or stop the progression of the disease,” said Dr. Rudolph Tanzi, Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and a leading Alzheimer’s expert.

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A February 2017 Harvard Health Publications article explores if loneliness is associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease. A study published November 2, 2016, by JAMA Psychiatry, examined 79 adults (average age 76), with no signs of Alzheimer's or dementia, to determine if amyloid levels in the brain was linked with loneliness. The study posits it's possible that individuals with high amyloid levels may experience subtle changes in social perception that predispose them to feelings of loneliness, according to lead researcher, Dr. Nancy J. Donovan, from Brigham and Women's Hospital.

RESEARCH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY

A January 23, 2017 Mobi Health News article reports on a new 10-minute, iPad-based assessment tool to test for memory issues in older adults. It focuses on three memory exercises which serve as an early warning system for dementia and Alzheimer's. It also tests for depression, to distinguish between mood disorders and memory impairment. "A great deal can be done to maximize the quality of life for patients with dementia if the condition is detected early," according to the company website.