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Dementia Care Digest
Official newsletter of
Dementia Care Professionals of America
a branch of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America
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New Look
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DCPA is excited to introduce the new name, new look, and new publication schedule of our e-newsletter.
New name: Dementia Care Digest (formerly CareDaily).
New look: You're looking at it!
New publication schedule: The first Tuesday of each month.
We hope that Dementia Care Digest will provide you with helpful information and resources, as well as inspiration from others working in the dementia field.
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Stay in Touch
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We want to hear from you! Contact Kristen Cribbs, AFA's national care standards manager, with questions, comments or suggestions. |
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Get Trained
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DCPA offers a variety of training options to provide you with maximum flexibility and potential customization. For more information, visit our website.
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Stay Informed
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If your email has changed, please join AFA's mailing list to update your contact information.
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| A Message from AFA's National Care Standards Manager | |
Fall is upon us! Like me, I am sure many of you are looking forward to picking apples, baking pumpkin pies, or enjoying the changing colors of the leaves.
In contrast to the great things about autumn, unfortunately, this time of year also ushers in the flu season. So in order to fully enjoy the traditions and hobbies of fall, it is important to take precautions to keep yourself, and your clients, healthy.
According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), persons aged 65 years and older usually account for 60 percent of flu-related hospitalizations and 90 percent of flu-related deaths. Older adults are more likely to catch the flu and experience hospitalization or other complications due to a weakened immune system that comes along with growing older. People with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are at especially high risk.
The single best way to help prevent the flu is to get an annual vaccination--recommended for everyone aged six months and older, with rare exception, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adults have good preventative options, including the traditional, standard-dose flu vaccine and a higher-dose flu vaccine that was made specifically for adults aged 65 and older to improve the body's production of antibody against the illness.
For helpful tips about the flu and vaccine options, visit the NCOA and AFA Websites.
In health,
Kristen Cribbs, MPH, QDCS National Care Standards Manager Alzheimer's Foundation of America |
| Article Headline | |
AFA's Excellence in Care (EIC) Program Trains New EIC Specialists
AFA recently held a workshop, in New York City, to train dementia professionals to become AFA Excellence in Care (EIC) Specialists. With a newly-trained cohort of EIC Specialists, the EIC program, which is complementary to DCPA and seeks to establish a nationwide standard of excellence in dementia care across care settings, continues to raise the bar on dementia care nationwide. Learn more about how your care setting can participate in EIC or how you can apply to become an EIC Specialist.
Participate in AFA's National Memory Screening Day!
Many of your colleagues already have signed up to hold memory screenings at their organizations on AFA's National Memory Screening Day (NMSD), on November 18. This event--carried out in collaboration with organizations and healthcare professionals across country--is part of AFA's ongoing national effort to promote early detection of memory problems, including Alzheimer's disease, and to encourage appropriate intervention. To become a NMSD site or to participate in memory screenings year-round through the AFA C.A.R.E.S. program, visit our Website.
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| On the Job: Tips for Providing Optimal Care | |
Booklet Explores Impact of Alcohol Use Among Older Adults
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) recently published a booklet that describes the effects of alcohol consumption on adults aged 65 and older. Heavy drinking can worsen memory loss and can aggravate other health problems, including high blood pressure and mood disorders. The booklet provides care management strategies and resources.
 Experts Call for More Nutrition Education in Medical Training
A commentary by a group of public health and dietary experts, recently published in the American Journal of Medicine, critiqued the lack of nutrition education in medical training. Citing a 2013 report on health in the U.S. that identified dietary factors as the most significant risk factor for disability and premature death, the authors called for changes in medical school curriculum to address the deficit as well as a team approach among physicians, nurses, dieticians and other healthcare professionals to help with dietary concerns.
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| In the News | |
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As reported in The New York Times, the National Football League (NFL) recently stated in federal court documents that it expects approximately one-third of retired players to experience brain trauma that will result in long-term cognitive problems. The NFL acknowledged that these conditions are likely to emerge at "notably younger ages" than in the general population.
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The World Alzheimer Report 2014, "Dementia and Risk Reduction: An analysis of protective and modifiable factors," examines the evidences for the existence of modifiable risk factors for dementia and recommends strategies for disease prevention and public health campaigns on this topic. The report was recently released by Alzheimer's Disease International.
- A recent podcast on NPR discusses pioneering Alzheimer's disease research being conducted with persons who have Down syndrome, a genetic disorder resulting from the duplication of chromosome 21. Genes on chromosome 21 also control the production of amyloid, a sticky plaque that is a biological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Increased longevity among people with Down syndrome has created a unique opportunity for Alzheimer's disease researchers to explore disease pathology, prevention and treatment.
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| Continuing Education | |
Vision loss among older adults is a significant health care issue. For persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, vision problems can increase falls risks as well as
and trigger concerning behaviors.
The National Eye Health Education Program, an initiative of the National Institutes of Health's National Eye Institute, recently developed a toolkit, "See Well for a Lifetime," for professionals who work with older adults. The toolkit conveys evidence-based information about eye health, and age-related eye diseases and conditions, and how people can protect their sight as they age.
Learn about how professionals can help older adults protect their vision by viewing the PowerPoint or PDF of Module 2 of the toolkit, Age-Related Eye Diseases and Conditions, and then take the corresponding Dementia Care Digest quiz to earn one Continuing Education Unit (CEU)*.
*Professionals who are sanctioned as AFA Qualified Dementia Care Providers or AFA Qualified Dementia Care Specialists must renew their AFA qualification every two years by obtaining four CEUs. Every hour of continuing education equals one credit. 30 minutes of content equals 0.5 credits. A program of less than 30 minutes in total is not applicable, and all intervals of less than 30 minutes are rounded down to the nearest 30-minute mark.
Completion of each Dementia Care Digest quiz equals one CEU.
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