March 13, 2015

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

USA2 SPOTLIGHT

A March 6, 2015 The Presbyterian Outlook book review highlighted ClergyAgainstAlzheimer’s book of meditations “Season of Caregiving.” According to the article, “Although there is a plethora of books on caring for persons with Alzheimer’s or dementia, this is a unique kind of book for caregivers. Why? Because it is a multifaith book which includes a wide spectrum of religious traditions, including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu faiths. These 140 meditations, written by caregivers from 17 faith traditions, offer support, encouragement and hope to the 15.5 million caregivers of Alzheimer’s or related dementias. Although writing from different religious traditions, all are united in their support of caregivers. It is project of the Clergy Against Alzheimer’s Network, a multifaith organization that seeks to bring Alzheimer’s out of the shadows of fear and denial and to overcome the stigma that continues to haunt this ever-growing disease.”

MUST READS AND WATCH

A March 13, 2015 Today Show article profiled actress B. Smith and her efforts to get more minorities engaged in research to fight Alzheimer's. According to the article, “Smith and Gasby, who have been together for 23 years, recently shared with TODAY how the couple courageously battles the progressive, degenerative brain disease every day and why she decided to do a public service announcement for the Brain Health Registry. The hope, Smith says, is that by speaking out publicly she can encourage more people — especially minorities — to sign on to the registry and to volunteer for clinical trials looking for a cure for the disease.”

A March 3, 2015 Washington Post article reported that “Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), along with Reps. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), announced Tuesday that they created the Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) caucus with the backing of AARP, the American Health Care Association, and other groups with a stake in providing health care and other support for caregivers.”

 

RESEARCH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY

A March 12, 2015 The Economist article reported on the emergence of mobile health technology and its impact on research for diseases like Alzheimer’s. According to the article, “PEOPLE living with Parkinson’s disease have good days and bad ones. Researchers do not really understand why. Nor do they understand the strengths and weaknesses of existing treatments for Parkinson’s—nor even the unmet needs of people who have the disease. The same is true of other chronic illnesses, from Alzheimer’s to diabetes to heart disease. Those researchers might understand better, though, if they were able to track the day to day symptoms of large numbers of people who suffer these conditions. Smartphones, and other mobile devices worn or carried almost continuously by many, offer a way to do so. They are packed with sensors, particularly accelerometers and GPS tracking devices, which can record movement and exercise. Apple’s new watch, announced this week (see article), measures its wearer’s heart rate and can supposedly work out whether he is standing, sitting or going up or down the stairs. Moreover, such devices can easily be linked by Bluetooth to other bits and pieces, such as Fitbits or Pebble watches, that the user is wearing—and even to high-tech versions of good old bathroom scales. Specific pieces of equipment such as portable blood-analysis kits can also be linked to phones. A plethora of data are thus available, if someone were able to record and interpret them.”

A March 12, 2015 Voice of America article reported that researchers at Johns Hopkins University “are hopeful that a generic drug now used to treat seizures can improve memory in the early stages of Alzheimer's, even reversing the condition.”