Before I Forget by B. Smith and Dan Gasby

This post originally appeared on Huffington Post. ~ Trish It started with lapses of memory. But who doesn't have those, right? It just means you have to concentrate a little more, be more focused and present in your life. At least that's what B. Smith thought at first. Barbara "B." Smith - nationally recognized restauranteur, celebrity chef, model, magazine publisher and lifestyle maven - she had it all. And she deserved it. Smith was the embodiment of the American Dream. Born in rural Pennsylvania, she was one of the first African American supermodels. She wrote three highly regarded cookbooks, launched

Christmas: A Time to Remember the Forgotten Among Us

Rev. Dr. Richard Morgan is a founder of the UsAgainstAlzheimer's Clergy Network, the author of the upcoming Leader's Guide for Seasons of Caring: Meditations for Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers. I am grateful to Dr. Morgan for sharing this beautiful and simple reminder to us all. - Trish It is the Christmas season once again. Shoppers have already rushed the season with their purchases in malls and on-line. In a real way Bethlehem has become bedlam. Everyone is preoccupied with preparations, but amid all the tinsel and glitter, something is missing. Did we forget someone at Christmas? So, we listen once

I am Still with You

Reverend Brenda Carroll is Superintendent of the Chattanooga District, Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church in Chattanooga, TN, and is a founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer's Clergy Network. Rev. Carroll's meditation first appeared in our book Seasons of Caring: Meditations for Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers. - Trish If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not

All I Want for Christmas ($1,064,000,000)

We end 2015 on an encouraging note in the fight against Alzheimer's. Congress has passed a bill to fund the government for the coming year providing an historic $350 million increase for Alzheimer’s research at the National Institutes of Health. The increase means NIH will have additional money to support critical Alzheimer's-related research and, hopefully, move us closer to ending this devastating disease. (You can read UsAgainstAlzheimer's statement here.) And now Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has come out in support of $2 billion a year in Alzheimer's funding to treat, prevent or cure the disease by 2025 ( our

Keeping the "Happy" in Holidays

Ann Napoletan is a founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer's Caregiver Support Group, a member of both our Activists and Clergy Networks, and authors the blog " The Long and Winding Road though Alzheimer's." She also manages the Treasury Department for the nation's largest not-for-profit provider of affordable senior housing and services. Ann also lost her mom to Alzheimer's. Here she offers expert advice on managing what can be such a challenging time of the year. - Trish December is a particularly difficult month. I lost my mom on December 15, 2012 following her long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. The holiday season had

Bipartisan Effort Needed to Slay Alzheimer's

Nobody says it better than Greg. Any Congressperson who doesn't support a huge uptick in research funds for Alzheimer's disease neeeds a heart transplant. Greg's opinion piece was published in The Hill newspaper - Trish

Alzheimer's Stole My Mom's Memories, and Mine Are Next

Daisy Duarte is a patient Advocate for LatinosAgainstAlzheimer's Network. Daisy calls on lawmakers to make Alzheimer's research funding a national priority in this story, which appeared in the Kansas City Star.

In Grace's Honor

This piece originally appeared on Huffington Post. - Trish My mother, Bea Lerner, was a powerhouse. Politics was her passion. Back in 1960, John F. Kennedy credited her with winning New Jersey -- a pivotal state -- for his election. As a result, she earned a spot on Nixon's infamous "Enemies List." She wore this badge proudly. In 1987 my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I was sure she could beat it. After all, she won every battle she ever fought...but she was no match for Alzheimer's. No one is. In 1992, this valiant lioness of a woman finally disappeared

A Lesson From Those With Physical Disabilities

This post originally appeared on Huffington Post. - Trish Recently, well-known Alzheimer's advocate and 12-year early onset Alzheimer's sufferer, Michael Ellenbogen, shared his frustration about the lack of pace in the fight against Alzheimer's in written testimony to the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services (HHS). Was a mass shooting similar to Columbine necessary to draw more attention to Alzheimer's? he asked. "I would never do that ... I am trying to get your attention and I am failing and dying at the same time." At this point HHS security deemed Mr. Ellenbogen a threat and banned him from

Reflections on Facilitating Alzheimer's Support Groups

Rev. Dr. Richard Morgan is a founder of the UsAgainstAlzheimer's Clergy Network, the author of the upcoming Leader's Guide for Seasons of Caring: Meditations for Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers, and works in pastoral care for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. - Trish Our Alzheimer’s Support Group will celebrate its seventh anniversary in December. It is time to stand back and reflect on this much-needed support for caregivers. The group is under the auspices of the Alzheimer’s Association of Pittsburgh. It meets on the third Wednesday of the month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the chapel of Redstone Highlands