Precautions and adjustments may help you stay independent

http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_10269.asp?WT.mc_id=enews2013_07_03

People with Alzheimer’s sometimes experience anger and exasperation when dealing with daily tasks. Taking safety precautions and making simple adjustments, such as planning your day, staying active and talking to friends, can help those in the early stages of the disease who live independently maintain a sense of control.
See 10 tips to keep independent >>

Alzheimer’s disease is always changing you. One day you may be able to do something, and the next day you may not. However, you can continue to live independently during the early stages of the disease by making simple adjustments, taking safety precautions and having the support of others.

1. Get help with daily tasks. Give yourself more time and less hassle by using services that can take care of everyday activities like shopping, cooking, bill paying and housekeeping. You could also ask a friend or relative to help with these tasks.
   • Get meals or groceries delivered to your home. Also consider stocking your freezer with microwave meals.
   • Use a lawn service to do yard work.  
   • Ask your bank if they provide services to help pay bills and keep track of your accounts. Or, have bills paid directly from your checking or savings account.
   • Hire a cleaning service to vacuum, dust, mop and do laundry.
2. Use memory aides. Labels, lists, notebooks and sticky notes can help you cope with memory loss.
   • Label drawers to help you find things.
   • Keep important numbers by the phone.
   • Post reminders to lock doors or shut windows.
   • Have step-by-step instructions on how to work appliances (such as the computer) or complete routine tasks (such a fixing your hair).

3. Take safety measures. Make home safety improvements, such as installing grab bars in the bathroom to minimize falls. Use appliances that have an automatic shut-off feature. Enroll in MedicAlert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return® or ComfortZone to help protect your safety in case you cannot find your way home or if you have a medical emergency.
4. Plan for the future. At some point, it will become too difficult to live independently. Make plans now for your future care so your family can honor your wishes. A good place to start planning is with Alzheimer’s Navigator, our online guide helping individuals and families create customized action plans and receive information, support and local resources.  Learn more about planning ahead.
5. Take your medications as prescribed. Taking your Alzheimer’s meds can help minimize symptoms. Consider using a pill box to help you organize medications. Ask the pharmacist or a family member to place pills in the pill box for you. Write down the times to take your medicine on a calendar.
6. Have a plan to get around. If it is no longer safe for you to drive, there are other ways to get where you need to go. Ask family and friends for a ride. Take taxi cabs or other public transportation. Some communities offer paratransit services for seniors and those with special needs.
7. Protect yourself from solicitors and potential fraud. Do things that will limit solicitors calling you on the phone or sending you mail. Get your phone number registered on the “national do not call list.” Consider getting Caller ID so you know who is calling you. 
8. Stay active. Continue doing hobbies you enjoy. Whether it’s gardening, dancing, painting, volunteering, playing sports or card games, you will benefit from the mental and social stimulation.
9. Talk to friends about your memory loss. Your friends may not know how “to be with you” after you disclose your diagnosis. Put them at ease. Talk openly about your memory loss and allow them to ask questions. You will get their support and understanding. If you feel  your friends may be backing away due to your diagnosis, try these tips to overcome stigma and stereotypes.
10. Get support. Get in touch with the Alzheimer’s Association for information and support. We can give you referrals to local programs and services that can help you keep your independence. You can also talk to others who know what you are going through on our message boards.

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Brunettes take trophy in Alzheimer’s Association fundraiser

http://www.alzheimers-illinois.org/enewsletter/july2013/

Blondes and Brunettes faced off in a flag football match to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association® Greater Illinois Chapter June 22 at the North Avenue Turf Fields in Chicago. Over 40 players competed as more than 150 spectators watched the Brunettes take the trophy in a close game of 13-12. An after-party took place at The Fireplace Inn.
A big thank you to all who participated and helped raise nearly $20,000 in funds!

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New programs from the Greater Illinois Chapter

http://www.alzheimers-illinois.org/enewsletter/july2013/programs.asp

The Alzheimer’s Association® Greater Illinois Chapter is excited to announce it has added new programs for those who wish to learn more about Alzheimer’s and caregiving, among other topics.
All of the following programs, with the exception of one, are an hour and a half and include time for questions and answers. Legal and Financial Planning is two and a half hours and also includes time for questions.

Learn more >>

The Alzheimer’s Association® Greater Illinois Chapter is excited to announce it has added new programs for those who wish to learn more about Alzheimer’s and caregiving, among other topics.
All of the following programs, with the exception of one, are an hour and a half and include time for questions and answers. Legal and Financial Planning is two and a half hours and also includes time for questions.
Click here to learn if a program is scheduled in your area or to see a full list of educational offerings.

Alzheimer’s Disease in the African American Community

African Americans are twice as likely as other racial groups to have Alzheimer’s disease and 40% less likely to be properly diagnosed and treated. This program will explore the reasons behind these statistics, offer information about normal changes in memory as we age, and cover the warning signs of Alzheimer’s as well as the steps to take for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Behaviors & Communication

Communication becomes more difficult as Alzheimer’s progresses. This can lead to frustration and confusion for the person with the disease, resulting in behaviors that are difficult for caregivers to understand and manage. This program will introduce caregivers, family members and friends to a number of skills and strategies to help improve communication. Techniques will be shared to better anticipate behavior “triggers” so that these can be avoided.
Boomers & AD

Each day 10,000 baby boomers turn age 65, and enter an increased risk class for Alzheimer’s disease. Join us for an informative and stimulating workshop that helps participants better understand normal age-related memory changes vs. the warning signs of more serious memory loss. Learn how you can take action and join the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
Caregiver Stress: Relief, Acceptance and Empowerment

Providing care for someone with memory loss can be a labor of love, but it can also be exhausting and stressful. This program will introduce participants to the causes, signs and symptoms of stress, and will provide participants with stress-reduction strategies.
Alzheimer’s Disease in the Latino Community
(also available in Spanish)
This program addresses the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on the Latino community. Audiences learn about the differences between normal age-related memory changes and more serious causes of memory loss such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The program also includes a viewing of the Alzheimer’s Association® video, “The Latino Family and Memory Loss.” This short Spanish-language film features a Latino family going through the phases of awareness, diagnosis, and caring for a grandmother who has Alzheimer’s disease.
Legal & Financial Planning for Alzheimer’s Disease

The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease makes planning for the future more important than ever. Legal and Financial Planning for Alzheimer’s Disease is an interactive program where you will have a chance to learn about important legal and financial issues to consider, how to put plans in place, and how to access legal and financial resources near you.
This program will cover information for families and individuals dealing with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Topics covered include: making legal plans that fit your needs; legal documents you’ll need and what they mean for all of you; how to find legal and financial assistance; practical strategies for making a long-term plan of care; tax deductions and credits; and government programs that can help pay for care.

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AAIC later this month in Boston

https://www.alz.org/aaic/

The annual Alzheimer’s Association® International Conference will take place July 13 through July 18 in Boston.
The conference is the world’s premier forum for the reporting and discussion of groundbreaking research and information on the cause, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. As a part of the Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about Alzheimer’s and fostering a vital, collegial research community.
Researchers come from all over the world to listen, discuss and present findings. Scott Counts, PhD, with Rush University Medical Center in Chicago will speak on the ability of IVIG to reduce tau pathology in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.

Check out our Facebook page for updates starting July 13.

Learn more >>

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Introducing new peer-to-peer mentoring program for young people

http://www.alzheimers-illinois.org/enewsletter/july2013/pALZ.asp

It was winter of 2011 when Carol Mayer and Leah Drew sat down over tea to talk. The two have a lot in common— both are young professionals living in Chicago — but while, to a passerby, their meeting may have looked like two friends catching up, it was, in fact, something far more serious that brought the women together.

Read more >>

It was winter of 2011 when Carol Mayer and Leah Drew sat down over tea to talk. The two have a lot in common— both are young professionals living in Chicago — but while, to a passerby, their meeting may have looked like two friends catching up, it was, in fact, something far more serious that brought the women together.
Not long before, Mayer’s mom, Susan, had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia. Similar in pathology to Alzheimer’s disease, the neurological syndrome impairs language capabilities and comprehension. Drew’s mother, Lynne, had been diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2005. It was Alzheimer’s Association staff that had connected Mayer and Drew so each could speak with someone who was facing a similar experience.
“Our (meeting) had a comforting, albeit very sad, aspect to me. I was able to vent and show some emotion that maybe some other people in my life wouldn’t understand,” Mayer said. “Leah was informative and supportive without being overbearing.”
Drew also appreciated the opportunity to sit down.
“To talk to someone reeling from this diagnosis — I knew exactly what she was going through,” said Drew, who had previously sought out support services but couldn’t relate to other attendees because of a pronounced difference in age. “I knew if (Mayer) was anything like me, she’d have a lot to get off her chest.”
Both women are currently members of the Greater Illinois Chapter Junior Board, which was established in 2011 to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s and related dementias, and to take action through fundraising events, support programs, education and advocacy initiatives. And their connection and camaraderie proved a catalyst for a new service founded by the group of individuals in their 20s and 30s.
A peer-to-peer mentoring program, pALZ provides resources for young professionals facing an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in a relative or loved one.
“The program has been in the works for about a year,” said Drew, adding that other board members embraced the concept from the start.
In the pALZ program, Mentors and Mentees are matched by way of a program liaison who introduces the two. The nature of each relationship is discretionary and Mentors and Mentees may communicate via phone, video chat, text message, email or in person.
In forming the program, the Junior Board recognized the importance of reviewing applications and providing training for those who wished to act as Mentors.
“The training will be an opportunity for the Mentors to engage with one another and share common experiences that will aid them in forming supportive relationships with their Mentees,” said Stephanie Herro, Senior Manager, Support Services. “pALZ Mentors will be trained in techniques similar to those of our support group facilitators, learning about the potential dynamics of a mentoring relationship and how to manage any difficult situations.”
For Drew, it’s really about creating a safe space between two people.
“My parents are both social workers so talking things out is something I really believe in,” she said.
Click here for more information on the pALZ program and how to get involved.

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