Alzheimer's Foundation of America |
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Guidelines Released for Brain Amyloid Imaging in Alzheimer's Disease
 The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and the Alzheimer's Association earlier this week released the first-ever guidelines on the proper clinical use of positron emission tomography (PET) amyloid imaging to aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. PET imaging uses radioactive drugs that bind to amyloid plaques (a hallmark characteristic of the disease) to produce high-quality images of the brain.
The guidelines recommend PET imaging as one of the tools in the diagnostic process only after a physician experienced in dementia conducts a comprehensive evaluation, and if the presence or absence of amyloid would increase certainty in the diagnosis. Appropriate candidates include people with persistent or progressive unexplained memory problems and demonstrate impairments using standard cognitive tests; people suspected of having Alzheimer's disease, but display other unusual clinical characteristics; and people 65 and younger who show signs of progressive early-onset dementia.
The guidelines also state that PET imaging should not be used for determining the severity of one's dementia, or if it is requested solely based on family history or the presence of other risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.
Meanwhile, a Medicare advisory panel voted yesterday that it had "low to intermediate" confidence that PET scans using the amyloid drug Amyvid will improve the health outcomes of people who have the test. Currently, private and government insurance does not cover amyloid imaging.
Read more...
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Survey: Financial Burdens, Responsibilities Grow for Sandwich Generation
 Nearly half of adults in their 40s and 50s are handling responsibilities for both a grown child and a parent aged 65 or older according to a new nationwide survey on the "sandwich generation" by the Pew Research Center. Among the 2,500 adults surveyed, one in seven in this age group are specifically providing financial support to both a grown child and a parent.
In addition, about one in 10 middle-aged adults are providing primary care for a parent 65 and older. Among non-caregivers, nearly seven in 10 adults say it is "very" or "somewhat" likely that they will take on this additional responsibility in the future.
The survey results also revealed that dependence on middle-age adults went beyond financial matters - 35 percent of those with parents 65 and older report that they are frequently relied on by their parents for emotional support, and 75 percent of those with parents 80 and older frequently or sometimes are called on for emotional support.
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News to Use
- A free Webinar on February 13 from 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (ET) for professional caregivers will explore the caring for older adults with behavioral health problems, the mental health impact of caregiving, and examples of evidence-based programs and resources that address behavioral health needs of caregivers. The Webinar was developed by the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). Register here.
- Join other family and professional caregivers for the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's (AFA) free monthly teleconference, Care Connection, on February 14 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. (ET). Guest speaker Rein Tideiksaar Ph.D., PA-C, president, FallPrevent, LLC, Blackwood, NJ, and author of "Implementing a Best Practices Fall Prevention Program, will speak on "Identifying and Managing Fall Risks in People With Alzheimer's Disease." Healthcare professionals earn continuing education credit toward renewal in AFA's Dementia Care Professionals of America. For more information, click here. Toll-free: 877-232-2992; Guest identification number: 271004#.
- The deadline for AFA's annual Teens for Alzheimer's Awareness College Scholarship is February 15. The contest requires college-bound students to write a 1,200- to 1,500-word essay that gives thoughtful consideration to "the impact Alzheimer's disease has on their own lives and what they learned about themselves, their family and/or their community in coping with the disease." AFA will award $5,000 tuition to the winner, and $500 and $250 to the first and second runners-up, respectively. For more information, click here.
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News Updates
- Dementia Linked to Hearing Loss... Older adults with hearing loss are more likely to face memory and thinking problems sooner than those who are not hearing-impaired, according to a new study. In a six-year study of nearly 2,000 adults aged 75 to 84 with normal brain function and hearing at onset, researchers found that those who eventually suffered hearing loss took 7.7 years to show mental decline, compared with 10.9 years for those with healthy hearing. Read more...
- Experimental Drug Chosen for Federal-Funded Alzheimer's Trial... An experimental drug manufactured by Eli Lilly and Co. has been selected for use in an upcoming Alzheimer's disease prevention trial. Known as the "A4" study, the multi-center trial will study 1,000 adults between 70 and 85 who are in the pre-symptomatic stages of the brain disorder. The drug aims to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by clearing the plaques in the brain caused by amyloid - a protein associated with the disease. Read more...
- Heart Disease Linked to Cognitive Decline in Older Women... A new study shows that heart disease is a risk factor for non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a form of MCI that results in general cognitive impairment but in which memory problems are not as predominant. In a four-year study of men and women ages 70 to 89 - 46 percent of whom have heart disease - researchers found that 348 developed MCI. Further analysis revealed that non-amnestic MCI was almost twice as prevalent in all participants with heart disease; but the risk for women with heart disease was threefold compared to those without heart disease. Read more...
- Changes in Aging Brain Linked to Sleep-Related Memory Problems... A new study finds structural changes in the brain that occur with age affects quality of sleep, and suggests that one way to slow memory decline in aging adults is to increase the amount of deep sleep. Researchers analyzed two sets of brain images - one group of adults of with an average age of 72 and another group with an average of 20 - and found that the medial prefrontal cortex, a section in the brain that helps maintain quality sleep, was much smaller in the older adults than the younger group. Memory tests done on the two groups before and after sleep also showed better scores in the young group. Read more...
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January 31, 2013
Volume 6 Issue 3
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Kilroy's Bar and Grill, a restaurant located in downtown Indianapolis, raised nearly $12,000 for AFA from its charity golf outing last summer.
The event, held at Plum Creek Golf Club in Carmel, IN, attracted 36 teams, and included raffle prizes and a dinner.
Jade Abel, the restaurant's general manager, said "everyone had a great time." Paul Murzyn, one of the restaurant's owners, chose AFA as the event's charity of choice because his mother is currently living with Alzheimer's disease. "He, along with us all, would love to help in any way possible," Abel said.
For suggestions on holding fundraising events in your community, click here.
Sign the
Stop Alzheimer's Petition
Speak out now against Alzheimer's disease. Together we can become a chorus of voices echoing through the halls of Washington, DC, speaking for those who are in the shadows.
February 14, 2013
Teleconference for Family & Professional Caregivers
"Identifying and Managing Fall Risks in People With Alzheimer's Disease."
1:00 p.m. (ET)
Guest Speaker: Rein Tideiksaar Ph.D., PA-C, president, FallPrevent, LLC, Blackwood, NJ, and author of "Implementing a Best Practices Fall Prevention Program."
For more info, click here. |
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The Legacy SocietyAFA's Legacy Society offers special recognition to individuals who have included AFA in their wills or estate plans.
Support AFA Monthly
Donors can now make recurring monthly donations to AFA, which will be automatically deducted from your credit card each month. You may cancel at any time. |
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Join us on Inspire
AFA's Support Community connects individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and their families, friends and caregivers to provide support and improve quality of life.
 
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