Banner Alzheimer’s Institute: 2015 Dementia Dialogues Webinar Series

18 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Caregivers, Coursework & Learning Opportunities, Events, Helpful Resources, Tips

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alzheimers, alzheimers education, banner alzheimers institute, caregiving, dementia, dementia webinar

Here are some amazing 2015 online education opportunities, straight from The Banner Institute.

Scheduled each third Wednesday, Dementia Dialogues offers a different, pertinent webinar topic each month. For those who are not comfortable with the Internet or who don’t have access, an exclusively audio version is offered as well.

The January webinar will take place this coming Wednesday, Jan 21. Click here to learn more and register!

January 21 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Dementia but were Afraid to Ask: There is a lot of conflicting information, misinformation and unanswered questions surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia. Join us to gain some clarity with dementia as our experts discuss some questions commonly posed to them. Come prepared to ask your unanswered questions.

February 18 – Lack of Insight into Dementia: “My person is in denial about their illness” is a phrase heard all too often in the dementia world. However, some people with this disease are simply unable to see changes within themselves – they have lack of insight. During this Dialogue, you will learn the difference between denial and lack of insight, and will receive strategies to avoid confrontation with a person who cannot accept cognitive losses.

March 18 – Planning for Care across the Stages of Dementia: Dementia is a disease that requires planning – constantly. Each stage brings unique challenges and needs and by being pro-active rather than reactive, caregivers can help lighten their load and have the confidence they are making decisions as their person would wish. Learn about specific plans that should be made during the various stages of dementia.

April 15 – Alzheimer’s Medications: Observing benefit of the approved medications for the treatment Alzheimer’s disease can be difficult to see as they don’t modify the course of the disease but can assist in managing symptoms. Join this Dialogue to learn about medications, reasonable expectations for use, potential side effects and tips for common issues.

May 20 – Planning Successful Travel: Travel is a joy that many people share throughout their lives. When someone develops dementia, many strategies for daily life can be disrupted by leaving home. While it may require extra thought, travel can still be enjoyable for someone with dementia. Just in time for summer travel, learn tactics to make your trips as successful as possible.

June 17 – Men as Caregivers: Many men are finding themselves caring for their wife or mother with dementia. It turns out that some stereotypical male qualities can come in quite handy for caregivers of someone with dementia. Join this frank discussion to learn strategies from some successful male caregivers.

And coming during the second half of 2015:

July 15 – Understanding Psychosis

August 19 – Maintaining Realistic Expectations as Dementia Progresses

September 16 – Best Lessons from Powerful Tools for Caregiving

October 21 – How and When to Execute Powers of Attorney

November 18 – Preparing for the Holidays

December 16 – The Gift of Presence

Demand Action Now: Help End Alzheimer’s

15 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Advocacy and Awareness, USAgainstAlzheimer's, Washington

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alzheimers, Alzheimers advocacy, dementia, state of the union

Please take a couple of minutes to lend your support; USAgainstAlzheimer’s makes it easy! Visit http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=J6sJlT6rpSFpIBC3FnFwnzRTy45204Z7

*** From the Desk of George Vradenburg ***

In just five days, President Obama will deliver the State of the Union address. Washington and the nation will pause to hear the president’s vision, and we need him to publicly commit to stopping Alzheimer’s. The nation already has adopted a national plan that sets as goal one preventing and treating Alzheimer’s by 2025. But this is now just 10 years away and much work remains.

President Obama could issue a “moon shot” for ending Alzheimer’s, like John F. Kennedy did for a moon landing in 1961. But it won’t happen absent a relentless push by those impacted by this dreaded disease.

Help us plant a flag for ending Alzheimer’s by adding your voice now. Join with our USAgainstAlzheimer’s networks and thousands of activists nationwide to encourage the president to address Alzheimer’s during his speech.

Click here to take a moment to ask President Obama to set a marker for ending Alzheimer’s in his State of the Union on Tuesday.

The annual global cost of treating Alzheimer’s in 2010 was an estimated $604 billion –one percent of global GDP. Without new treatments, the number of Alzheimer’s cases and its associated costs are predicted to quadruple in the next 40 years.

That’s not even mentioning the personal toll it takes on families. More than 5 million Americans suffer from this cruel, unforgiving disease, and their loved ones suffer along with them.

We can’t wait for action. If we are going to stop this terrifying trajectory, we need to get bold. We need leadership.

President Obama has a chance to cast a vision for ending Alzheimer’s during his speech. We need to let him know how important it is that he does.

Add your name: Call on President Obama to address the threat of Alzheimer’s in his State of the Union address.

There’s a path to a cure, but it demands commitment from everyone. If we get it, we’ll beat this disease.

Thank you,

George

Alzheimer’s: Heartbreak, Helplessness, and a Lesson in Balance

11 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Caregivers, Early Onset, Face of Alzheimer's, Life After Caregiving, Mom, Ruminations

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alzheimers, dementia, early onset alzheimers, younger onset alzheimers

I do a great deal of reading about Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Personal stories, books, blogs, the latest news from the world of research, and of course, what our friends in Washington are up to.

Every now and then, I stumble upon something that touches me more deeply than usual. This recently published Huffington Post piece by Rebecca Emily Darling fell into that category – and then some.

Beyond Her Years

The writer captures the experience of slowly losing one’s mother to this dreaded disease with an eloquence and wisdom far beyond her years. I was in my early 40’s when my mom was diagnosed, though she began showing signs much earlier. I feel as though I was robbed of so many years of making memories: traveling, holiday traditions, laughter, an impromptu dinner or shopping date, or simply being able to sit and have a conversation. We forget how much of a gift that is – nothing more than a conversation with someone so trusted and loved.

Rebecca Emily Darling, Source: Huffington Post

Rebecca was just 26-years-old when her mother was diagnosed. I can’t fathom it. My own daughter is a few months shy of 30, and I can’t imagine her having to carry such a heavy load at that age. Unfortunately, it’s becoming increasingly common.

The latest numbers I’ve seen indicate there are as many as 400,000 Americans suffering from younger onset dementia and even that is likely to be grossly understated for many reasons, not the least of which are fear and shame. That, however, is a topic for another post.

Below, I’m sharing several passages that I found particularly poignant and eerily familiar. This is an essay you don’t want to miss. You can read the full piece by Rebecca Emily Darling by clicking here.

Helplessness

“One night, my mother fell down the stairs and I ran to her. I held her like a mother holds a child and asked again and again if she was okay. I clutched her to me and rocked her. I felt completely responsible for her and more protective of her than I have ever felt of anyone; just the very idea of her being in pain cut through me. I would do anything to make it better. I would do anything to make my mother better. I would even give her up as my mother if it meant she would be living her life as herself, even if it was without me, even if it was somewhere where I could not see her. I would do anything.”

Heartbreak in Slow Motion

“I am accustomed now to having a mother with Alzheimer’s. I am accustomed to not having a mother on whom I can depend, in whom I may confide, with whom I may simply converse. And when I think of how accustomed I am, my heart breaks all over again. It is a constant ebb and flow, a constant healing and breaking again like the ocean.”

Moments of Joy

“If I have learned one thing from my mother’s disease, it is that the heart has no limit to what it can feel. There is always a deeper love, and always a truer pain. And when I see my mother’s eyes light up at the sight of a simple flower or a chocolate chip cookie, I know that there is always a purer joy as well.”

Striking a Balance

In 2014, I took a new job that brought me much closer to what I believe is my life purpose; however, it also reduced my earning power substantially. Do I have any regrets? Not one.

Where am I going with this, you might ask. Well, this year, I’ll celebrate my 50th birthday, and my daughter her 30th. We’ll spend two weeks in Italy to mark these milestones. We’ve planned this for at least five years, maybe more.

Mom, Retirement Dinner 1998

Should I spend the money for this trip right now? Probably not. But I’m going to do it because I don’t know what the future holds. My mom retired before she turned 62, having worked hard, saved well, and done everything according to the book. She dreamed of two trips; one was Alaska, the other was Italy. Because of Alzheimer’s, she didn’t take either.

Life is short, my friends. Plan ahead, of course, but strike a balance. Live as though tomorrow isn’t promised, because the fact is, today is the only sure thing.

Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing this beautiful essay that touched me more deeply than you know.