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Mother's Day: A Perfect Time to Honor Women Affected by Alzheimer's Disease
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 | | Dori Church lays out her quilt panel in Tampa. |
Whenever Dori Church of St. Petersburg, FL crafts a quilt, she says she loves "the connection I feel to my mom and her creativity." Recently, she felt one of the tightest bonds of all: Church, whose mother used to be a "great seamstress," and her daughter made a colorful quilt with a photo of her mom in a chair as the centerpiece.
Last week, Church presented it to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) to include in the AFA Quilt to Remember, a heartfelt, ongoing project that pays tribute to people, like Church's mom, who have Alzheimer's disease. The large-scale quilt was on display in Tampa, near where Church lives.
With Mother's Day this Sunday, AFA is encouraging others to follow suit-and sign up now, or any time, to submit a quilt panel.
More women than men have Alzheimer's disease and are caregivers. Church's 86-year-old mother, Agnes Poland, moved in with her daughter six years ago after she was diagnosed with the brain disorder, and she sometimes sits with Church while she is sewing.
"It is the greatest gift to let people with Alzheimer's disease and caregivers know that they are valued," suggested Eric J. Hall, AFA's president and CEO. "Telling the life story of your mom, grandmother or other loved one in a quilt panel is not only a beautiful tribute to that person, but it also lends a compelling, collective voice to the cause."
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National Institutes on Aging to Hold Alzheimer's Disease Research Summit
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The National Institutes on Aging (NIA) is holding an Alzheimer's Disease Research Summit on May 14 and 15 in Washington, DC with the goal of formulating an integrated multidisciplinary research agenda that will accelerate the development of successful therapies during the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
The summit will also identify the necessary resources and infrastructure, and new public-private partnerships to successfully implement the agenda.
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New Government Programs Promote Home Care
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Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries may be able to more easily receive care and services in their home, as opposed to being admitted to a hospital or nursing home, thanks to new regulations finalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for two programs established under the healthcare reform law.
The Independence At Home (IAH) Demonstration Program tests a service delivery model that utilizes physician- and nurse practitioner-directed primary care teams to make in-home visits tailored to the individual needs of Medicare beneficiaries, and to coordinate plans of care across all treatment settings.
Under Medicaid, the Community First Choice Rule increases federal Medicaid matching funds to participating states for providing community-based non-skilled care and supports to beneficiaries who would otherwise be confined to a nursing home or other institution.
In releasing the final rules, acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner said, "Our goal is to provide person-centered support to every Medicare and Medicaid beneficiary...These services and programs will help keep these individuals' health stable, and keep them home where they want to be, while giving us even more tools to achieve better care for the patient, better health for the population, all at lower costs."
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News to Use:
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Dementia Care Professionals of America (DCPA), the training, qualification and membership division of AFA, is accepting nominations for the 2012 "Dementia Care Professional of the Year." The annual award recognizes exceptional healthcare professionals who "simply shine-people with creativity, passion and determination." Nominees do not have to be members of DCPA or affiliated with AFA. Applications are due September 1. Click here for guidelines.
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News Update
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- Alzheimer's drug does not help severe agitation... In a controlled trial, scientists found that memantine, a drug approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration for the later stages of Alzheimer's disease, did not reduce severe agitation in individuals with the brain disorder. However, the medication was effective on other behavioral and psychological symptoms, such as mood and anxiety, in addition to helping cognitive function. Read more...
- Depression is linked to dementia... Depression in late-life as well as in both mid-life and later life can significantly boost the risk of dementia, according to a new study. Researchers found that people with late-life depressive symptoms faced double the risk of Alzheimer's disease and a 47 percent increase in the risk of vascular dementia. Study participants with mid-life depression that resurfaced later on also had a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease and even more of a risk for vascular dementia. Read more...
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If you have a question or concern that you would like to discuss with a social worker, please write info@alzfdn.org or call (toll-free) 866-AFA-8484.
© 2012 Alzheimer's Foundation of America
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May is Older Americans Month
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Take action to honor and support our nation's aging population.
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Support National Alzheimer's Plan
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Your action is urgently needed!! Resolutions supporting the goals and recommendations of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease in have been introduced in both the U.S. Senate (S. 434) and House of Representatives (H.120).
The resolutions would put the Congress on record in support of preventing and treating Alzheimer's disease by 2025; calling for further public awareness of the disease; increasing assistance for those with Alzheimer's disease, their families and caregivers; and encouraging early diagnosis.
AFA urges all stakeholders to contact their members of Congress and ask them to sign on as co-sponsors. You can reach your member of Congress through the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-225-3121, their Web sites or social media.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is expected to release its final national plan to address Alzheimer's disease at some time this month.
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| Register for May 18 Conference |
AFA will be holding a "5 Boroughs Concepts in Care Conference" for family and professional caregivers and individuals with dementia on May 18 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel-Times Square in New York.
Headliners are entertainer David Cassidy, "Today" show contributor Joy Bauer and dementia care expert Teepa Snow.
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AFA recently announced the formation of a Legacy Society, which offers special recognition to individuals who have included AFA in their wills or estate plans. Information about AFA's new Legacy Society is available at
www.alzfdn.org or by contacting AFA at 866.232.8484
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| Want to support AFA on a regular basis? Donors can now make recurring monthly donations to AFA. A recurring monthly donation is a charge that is automatically deducted from your credit card each month. You may cancel at any time. To make convenient, automatic monthly donations, or a one-time donation, click here. |
| Our Mission |
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Our mission is "to provide optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families--through member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life."
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| Contact Us |
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To obtain more information about AFA, visit us at www.alzfdn.org or call us toll-free at 866-AFA-8484. |
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