Hot off the press! Alzheimer’s Association 2015 Facts and Figures

26 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Advocacy and Awareness, ALZ Assn - National, Facts & Figures, Washington

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2015 facts and figures, alzheimers, Alzheimers advocacy, alzheimers advocacy forum, alzheimers awareness, dementia

Source: Alzheimer’s Association

The 2015 Alzheimer’s Association Facts and Figures Report was released this week, just as over 1,000 advocates stormed Capitol Hill at the annual Advocacy Forum.

It’s a reminder that we must keep at it, we must continue to speak out and encourage others to do the same.

In his testimony before the Senate Special Committee on Aging this week, Dr. Ronald Petersen, Director of Alzheimer’s Research at the Mayo Clinic, had this to say:

“From a public health perspective, we cannot wait until individuals become symptomatic; we must address the earliest biologic underpinnings of the disease.”

He went on to tell Senators that researchers are “on the precipice” of finding ways to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s or slow its progress once it takes hold of the brain.

Read more about Dr. Petersen’s testimony in this Minneapolis Star Tribune article and watch this (less than) 2-minute long video to learn more.

Did you know….

18 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Advocacy and Awareness, ALZ Assn - National, Cure Alzheimer's Fund, Facts & Figures, Helpful Resources, Round Up, Tips, USAgainstAlzheimer's

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alzheimers, Alzheimers advocacy, alzheimers awareness, dementia

An estimated 200,000 of the 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s are under the age of 65. Many are in their 40s and 50s.

When you donate to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 100 percent of funds of your gift goes directly to research. The organization’s founders cover all overhead expenses.

Women are at the epicenter of the Alzheimer’s epidemic, which is why Maria Shriver recently announced her new initiative, Wipe Out Alzheimer’s (in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association).

The Longest Day is June 21st and it’s not too early to start planning a dawn to dusk activity to honor your loved one and raise Alzheimer’s awareness!

A comprehensive list of helpful resources is just a click away! -> Resources

USAgainstAlzheimer’s makes being an advocate a piece of cake by providing EASY actions you can take to make a real difference. Sign up at http://www.usagainstalzheimers.org

The Alzheimer’s Association publishes a comprehensive Facts & Figures Report annually. Check it out to learn more.

You can call the U.S. Capitol switchboard to make your voice heard! Simply dial 202-224-3121 and ask for your member of Congress and/or Senators. For each office, give your name, explain that you’re a constituent and an Alzheimer’s advocate, and ask to speak with the Health Legislative Assistant. If that person is not available, ask to leave a message. Share your personal story and explain why you feel it’s critical that they support increased funding for Alzheimer’s.

The Long and Winding Road is also on Facebook! Stop by our page for your daily dose of inspiration and information!

Still Alice: Breaking Through Old Stereotypes

28 Saturday Feb 2015

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Advocacy and Awareness, ALZ Assn - National, Books, Celebrities, Early Onset, Face of Alzheimer's, Films, Helpful Resources, Inspiration

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alzheimers, alzheimers awareness, alzheimers stereotypes, dementia, julianne moore, still alice, younger onset alzheimers

This past week, I had the pleasure of attending a screening of Still Alice followed by a panel discussion organized by our local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. I’d seen the film the first day of the wide release, but watching it for the second time was a completely different experience.

The event was sold out, which in and of itself felt like a victory. Just being in that space with so many people united in the dream of a world without Alzheimer’s was overwhelming.

Julianne Moore’s portrayal of Alice is brilliant, no doubt largely due to the careful research she did for the part. Last month, Sandy Oltz, Moore’s personal consultant and inspiration for the film, spoke at the Alzheimer’s Association’s Leadership Summit in Orlando. Sandy was diagnosed with younger onset at age 47. In many ways, she is the real life Alice; educated, accomplished, strong, beautiful, a wife and mother, and living with Alzheimer’s.

Please do not think I am suffering. I am not suffering. I am struggling, struggling to be a part of things, to stay connected to who I once was. So, ‘live in the moment’ I tell myself. It’s really all I can do, live in the moment.

Sandy Oltz

Whether or not to see Still Alice, or when to see the movie and in what setting, is a very personal decision. I had the book on my Kindle for a couple of years before I worked up the courage to read it, and then it was only because I was going to be hearing Lisa Genova speak.

If you have lived the reality of Alzheimer’s disease, this film will be difficult to watch. It will inevitably remind you of moments with your own loved one: moments of anger, frustration, and fear. But it will also bring forth memories of a love the depth of which cannot be described. A love that goes far beyond words into a realm we never knew existed.

Still Alice has the power to change the way the world views Alzheimer’s. This movie represents a breakthrough. Alice is far from the stereotypical Alzheimer’s patient, and the message is simple: Alice Howland could be any of us.

There but for the grace of God go I.

We can only hope that as this powerful film works its way into the mainstream, people are inspired to join the movement to #ENDALZ. Because at the end of the day, it’s really just about love…