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

Why women should worry about Alzheimer’s

By Jill Lesser and Trish Vradenburg Jill Lesser is president of WomenAgainstAlzheimer’s, a network of USAgainstAlzheimer’s. - Trish (CNN) – The plight of Alzheimer’s patients and the challenges for those who care for them are garnering more attention thanks to movies like “ Still Alice” and the steady disclosure of well-known sufferers, like musician Glenn Campbell, model and entrepreneur B. Smith, and Governor Jeb Bush’s mother-in-law. They are all courageous in talking about the disease that robs people of mind and dignity. But one aspect of this debilitating disease is only just beginning to register: Alzheimer’s disproportionately affects women. Early

The United States and China - Sharing Research and Care Approaches for Those with Alzheimer's and Dementia

Mara Botonis is the author of our upcoming Clinical Trials Diary blog series. - Trish At the end of a long tree-lined cobblestone road past a fruit and vegetable stand, and next to the remnants of a near century old abode, in the hallways of a hospital built in the 1950's, Dr. Zhang Shouzi rounds on his dementia patients in a 60-bed dementia care wing at Beijing Geriatric Hospital (BGH). The BGH is located northwest of the Summer Palace in the Haidian District of Beijing and is the only hospital in a city with an estimated 21-22 million people that

I Still Remember Love

This post originally appeared on The Huffington Post. - Trish 1987 My mother had once again refused to see a doctor. This from a woman who, until now, had been a hypochondriac. All I wanted, I told her was, "A simple evaluation." "Evaluate yourself," she snapped, her determined chin jutting out. "Mom, I'm not the one who thinks strange men are in the house." "Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they're not here. Move in, you'll see them. Guaranteed." "Mom, you forget to take your medicine." "Get me an alarm clock, I'll remember." "I did that. You still

Probing The Realities of Big Data In Alzheimer's

This blog post was originally published by the Huffington Post. - Trish Still Alice, the film with Academy-award winning actress Julianne Moore, powerfully depicts a woman's steep descent into Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and demonstrates why people overwhelmingly cite Alzheimer's as the disease they most fear. There is currently no effective treatment for AD. For individuals, an Alzheimer's diagnosis is the beginning of a dark, inevitable journey to a place where our connection to ourselves and the world slowly fades away. For governments, the spiraling global growth of the disease -- with nearly 150 million victims projected for 2050 -- threatens

The Real 'Still Alice' (Except This One Wears Trousers)

In 2009, at the age of 59, Greg O'Brien was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. It wasn't surprising since his family was laced with the disease: his grandfather, his uncle and his mother had all succumbed to this merciless killer. Now it's Greg O'Brien's turn. But he isn't going to go down without a fight. An investigative reporter by profession, he began taking copious notes about his arduous trek into his mind, riddled with Alzheimer's. Thus began O'Brien's chronicle which resulted in his heartbreaking, defiant, profound book, On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's. "Words are the core of my life,"

Host a “Still Alice” Movie Night!

“Still Alice” is winning awards and critical acclaim for Julianne Moore’s moving portrayal of a woman with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The film’s popularity has great potential to raise awareness and understanding about Alzheimer’s—helping bring it out of the shadows, so more people understand its impact. You can help by organizing a movie night. It’s a powerful subject, so the idea of going with a group may encourage more people to see it. Here’s how to get started: Invite a group of family members and friends to go see the movie. Think about a mix of people who do and don’t

A Faith-filled Companion for Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregivers

Rev. Dr. Angelica is a contributor to our interfaith book Seasons of Caring and a founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer's Clergy Network. - Trish Seasons of Caring: Meditations for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers “and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:32) We caregivers can no longer avoid the truth: Caring for someone who is diminishing from Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia will be a challenging, life-changing experience. As the Gospel of John tells us, knowing this truth will set us free – free to ask for and receive vital help. Family caregivers need not