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April – Financial Literacy Month

Being financially sound is important to everyone, but the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can make planning for the future more crucial than ever. During the month of April, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging those caring for others affected by the disease to take advantage of the educational resources relating to financial matters developed to assist them in decision making. Please take a moment to share this multi-faceted article with your employees which highlights an e-learning course, a brochure and helpful information from our website’s Caregiver Center. These tools are all designed to aid them in the financial planning associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care.

Please plan ahead to promote these initiatives.

May – Caregiving and the working mother

As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, take a moment to remember that 62 percent of all care givers for those with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia are women. A recent poll from National Alliance for Caregiving found that nearly one-third of caregivers had children under the age of 18 living with them, creating the ‘Sandwich Generation’ a generation of caregivers who are caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children. These caregivers often face a unique set of daily decisions, causing higher levels of stress. While all caregivers have been found to experience more overall stress – competing priorities have severe consequences on a woman’s financial, emotional and physical health. Learn more about other statistics affecting the average female caregiver and tools provided to assist the working caregiver in your midst by sharing this article with your employees.

June – National Safety Month

In June, while getting ready for increased outdoor activities, safety is a crucial topic for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. During National Safety Month, it is a time to remind families to create or update a comprehensive safety plan to have peace of mind. You can help by sharing Alzheimer’s-related safety tips with your employees to help make their home a safer place for a person living with Alzheimer’s.

http://www.optimumseniorcare.com/services/alzheimerscare.php

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http://ageofchampions.org/premiere/?utm_source=ALZ&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Online+Premiere

You’re invited to watch the new PBS documentary Age of Championsfor free April 18th – 28th at ageofchampions.org/premiere.

Age of Champions tells the story of five competitors who sprint, leap, and swim for gold at the National Senior Olympics. You’ll meet a 100-year-old tennis champion, 86-year-old pole vaulter, and rough-and-tumble basketball grandmothers as they triumph over the limitations of age.

This opportunity is brought to you by the Alzheimer’s Association event, The Longest Day^®, along with the filmmakers of Age of Champions. We hope that you, your colleagues, friends and family will be able to use this resource as a positive and entertaining tool for promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. Please extend this viewing invitation by forwarding this email.

After being inspired by the film, register to join us on June 21, 2013, for The Longest Day, as together we honor those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. The Longest Day is about patience, strength and endurance – but it’s also about a challenge. On The Longest Day, do something you love – or try something new – to advance the cause. For people facing Alzheimer’s disease, this challenge is every day. For you, it’s just one.

Organize a team for this sunrise-to-sunset event and raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Learn more atalz.org/thelongestday.

Thank you and enjoy the film!

http://www.optimumseniorcare.com/services/alzheimerscare.php

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Doctor blogs about his experience with Alzheimer’s disease

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-03-30/local/38142645_1_david-hilfiker-mama-visitor

At age 66, Dr. David Hilfiker dismissed a memory lapse as a sign of aging. Two-and-a-half years later, he recognizes it as one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s. He is now chronicling his experience with the disease in a blog titled Watching the Lights Go Out.
Read the article >>

http://www.optimumseniorcare.com/services/alzheimerscare.php

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Gene linked to higher Alzheimer’s disease risk for African-Americans

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/09/african-americans-alzheimers-gene/2066645/

A new gene mutation has been identified that may double African-Americans’ risk for getting Alzheimer’s disease, a new report shows. Researchers said the mutation in the gene ABCA7 is not the first linked to Alzheimer’s, but it suggests the possibility of multiple causes of the disease.
Read the article >>

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You can help build support for the HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act

https://act.alz.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=925&JServSessionIdr004=a7fv9tjnl2.app208b

The Alzheimer’s Association applauds the reintroduction of the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act, which represents a critical effort to ensure individuals receive a timely and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and that newly diagnosed individuals and their families have access to information, resources and support services. Urge your members of Congress to cosponsor the HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act today.
Take action >>
Read the Association’s statement >>

The HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act focuses on three key areas by:

• Creating a package of services aimed at an accurate and timely diagnosis
• Ensuring that care planning services are provided after a diagnosis to Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers
• Requiring documentation of a diagnosis and any care planning services in the beneficiary’s medical record

The HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act is consistent with the recommendations made in the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease by:

• Ensuring an accurate and timely diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease;
• Educating and supporting individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their families upon diagnosis
• Enhancing assistance for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers to prepare for care needs

http://www.optimumseniorcare.com/services/alzheimerscare.php

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