USA2 SPOTLIGHT

An August 1, 2018 St. Louis Public Radio article spotlighted the "Forget Me Not" stage play, working to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease in the African-American community. According to the article, “…African-Americans are underrepresented in clinical studies that research the causes of the disease, said Stephanie Monroe, executive director of African-Americans Against Alzheimer’s. She hopes “Forget Me Not” will encourage audiences to be more aware of potential Alzheimer’s symptoms in family members and perhaps participate in a study.” The play is a production of AfricanAmericansAgainstAlzheimer’s, a network of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. 

Take our latest "What Matters Most" A-LIST survey. Research shows that military veterans are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s due to service-related injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress, blast-induced neurotrauma, successive concussion syndrome and depression. VeteransAgainstAlzheimer’s (a network of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s) is working to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s as an urgent health issue for veterans. Whether you are a veteran, active military, caregiver or civilian, please take this survey to help us better understand What Matters Most when it comes to the impact of dementia on veterans. A-LIST is an initiative of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.

PROFILES IN COURAGE

A July 27, 2018 E Cronicon Psychology and Psychiatry article by dementia advocate Michael Ellenbogen shared his experience with dementia. After receiving an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2008, he recently learned he has semantic dementia. According to Ellenbogen, “Over the course of the last decade I have become a world-renowned advocate. I have accomplished some amazing things during this time and it all because of my diagnosis. Most importantly, I have not focused on dying or what I can no longer do because I know this would have only brought me down quicker. Instead of focusing on the things I can’t change, I have focused on the things that I can change, and this has been key to my survival.” Ellenbogen is an UsAgainstAlzheimer’s advocate.

CAREGIVING CORNER

An August 5, 2018 The Advocate article looked at “anticipatory grief,” or mourning that occurs when expecting death. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, it can be referred to as “dementia grief,” because the patient is still alive but seems gone. According to the article, “Caregivers and families members cope with the real feelings of loss — the anticipatory grief — for their loved one who is still alive, and then, they live through an ambiguous loss, that is, interacting with their loved one who is not fully present socially or psychologically. Finally, they grieve again at the physical death of their loved one.” 

YOUTH FOCUS

An August 5, 2018 The Bulletin article highlighted teenager Dani Moore, who won a $2,500 scholarship from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America for her essay about how Alzheimer’s disease affected her family. Her grandmother has had AD for more than a decade. According to Moore, speaking about her grandfather’s devotion, “He was there with her from the beginning and stuck by her side. Even when she kept him up at night. Even when she pushed him away and refused to let him help her. Even when she no longer resembled the woman he met so long ago, the woman who he had fallen in love with and started a family. To me, that’s an entirely different genre of love. That’s a selfless, pure sort of love, a love stretching on further than just romantic or platonic.” 

DEMENTIA AND THE ARTS

An August 3, 2018 ABC News broadcast segment and article spotlighted “Blank Stares,” a country music song by Jay Allen about Alzheimer’s disease. Allen wrote the song for his mother, who has early-onset AD. According to Allen, “God gifted me with a voice and the ability to write songs, and I feel He gave me an opportunity through that to not only help my momma, but to use 'Blank Stares' as a tool to fight against Alzheimer’s.”