A new study finds that having a higher purpose in life could protect against Alzheimer's disease RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Do you think the best days of your life are behind you, or that your day-to-day activities have little to no meaning? You could be at higher risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. THE DETAILS: The researchers recruited 951 older adults with an average age of 80 from 40 retirement communities and senior housing facilities around Chicago. Each adult underwent initial psychological tests to determine if he or she had Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimer's disease. Each also filled out questionnaires related to "purpose in life," defined as the ability to derive meaning from life's experiences and to possess a sense of intentionality and goals that drive behavior. For example, positive responses to the statements "I feel good when I think of what I have done in the past and what I hope to do in the future" and "I enjoy making plans for the future and working them to a reality" indicate having a strong purpose in life, whereas positive responses to the statements "I live life one day at a time and do not really think about the future" and "I sometimes feel as if I have done all there is to do in life" indicate not having a purpose in life.

Age of Alzheimer's Onset in Latinos Puzzles Scientists Psychiatric News October 1, 2004 Volume 39 Number 19 © 2004 American Psychiatric Association p. 34 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clinical & Research News Age of Alzheimer's Onset in Latinos Puzzles Scientists Joan Arehart-Treichel A study from an Alzheimer's disease conference raises questions about the onset of Alzheimer's in U.S. Latino immigrants. Latinos living in the U.S. may develop Alzheimer's considerably earlier than American non-Latino whites do, a new, but small, study has found. The investigation was headed by Christopher Clark, M.D., director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania. He and his colleagues reported their findings at the Ninth International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, held in Philadelphia in July. Clark and his coworkers compared the age of symptom onset of Alzheimer's disease in 119 U.S. mainland Latinos with the age of onset of the illness in 55 non-Latino white Americans. After taking possibly confounding factors such as age and gender into consideration, the researchers found that the Latino subjects had developed Alzheimer's, on average, almost seven years earlier than the non-Latino white subjects had. "I am sorry to say that at present I simply do not have an explanation for the earlier age of symptom onset in Latino immigrants," Clark told Psychiatric News. "We need to look at the age of Alzheimer's symptom onset in nonmigrant Latinos from Mexico and Puerto Rico in order to better understand this finding." Clark and his team will be submitting a detailed report of their study to the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging.

Alzheimer's Association The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research.

Alzheimer's Champions - Become One!

	Sign up and be counted as a Champion!
	First name:
	.
	Last name:
	.
	E-mail:
	.
	ZIP:
	.
	Check to receive email

Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center Comprehensive Alzheimer's disease information and resources from the National Institute on Aging (NIA).

Alzheimer's Disease International Our aim is to establish and strengthen Alzheimer associations throughout the world, and to raise global awareness about Alzheimer's disease and all other causes of dementia.

Alzheimer's Foundation of America Our mission is "to provide optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families—through member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life."

Alzheimers Research Information News Releases News Releases Below you will find current news releases announcing research findings on Alzheimer's disease and related topics from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). The most recent release is posted first. To view releases from previous years, visit News Release Archives. For news releases from the NIA on other aging topics, please visit NIA Press Releases. GO TO LINK

Alzheimer’s Association Advocates Guide 2009 Alzheimer’s Association Advocacy and Public Policy Office 1319 F Street, N.W., Suite 500 Washington, DC 20004-1106 Telephone 202.393.7737 Fax 866.865.0270 Email Advocate@alz.org Web www.alz.org

Alzheimer’s Poetry Project Alzheimer’s Poetry Project Affiliates: Greensboro Public Library/LifeVerse LifeVerse, a Poetry GSO initiative for older adults, is in its second year. With funding from the NC Arts Council and NC Humanities Council, LifeVerse has employed six poets to make weekly visits to nursing homes, retirement centers and other sites with programs for older adults. Participating poets are Jacinta White, Mark Smith-Soto, Anjail Ahmad, Val Nieman, Tanya Owens and Sandra Redding. The Center for Creative Aging-NC is also a partner in the project. Call 336-373-3636 to learn more about volunteering or scheduling a LifeVerse program. Find out more about Greensboro Public Library's Poetry GSO and LifeVerse project here. Latino Geriatric Center The Latino Geriatric Center, a program of the Centro de la Comunidad Unida (United Community Center), is an innovative facility that provides comprehensive and customized services to elderly individuals with physical impediments, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias. The expansive facility is uniquely designed to provide bilingual and culturally competent daily care to the Latino elderly of Milwaukee County. Additionally, the Latino Geriatric Center provides screenings and evaluations for memory loss in their on-site Memory Clinic. In collaboration with Latino Geriatric Center Program Director Al Castro and Program Coordinator Nelva Olin the APP is conducting a pilot project to create programming in Spanish. This builds on the work APP has done previously in Northern New Mexico. You can find out more about the Latino Geriatric Center here. Northern Arizona Poets NORAZ Poets TM vision is to provide the community with clear and concise information about poetry events throughout rural Arizona. We will empower others, by making poetry more accessible. We will help make our communities' quality of life better, by using poetry. We will help our communities to pursue their creative goals through program development, readings, and other performance mediums. But above all, we wish to give back to our communities what they have given us -- the inspiration and means to create the written and spoken word. You can find out more about the NorAz Poets here. NORAZ Poets TM under the directorship of Christopher Lane have developed an extensive network of programming in over 30 facilities throughout Arizona. APP is using this partnership as a model in developing relationships with literary groups throughout the Untied States. Red Hen Press Red Hen Press is based in Los Angeles and is one of the leading publishers of poetry in America. The have developed an extensive Writing-in-the-schools program and will draw from that experience and their roster of teaching artists to help expand the Alzheimer's Poetry Project in Southern California. The mission of Red Hen Press is to discover, publish, and promote works of literary excellence that have been overlooked by mainstream presses, and to build audiences for literature in two ways: by fostering the literacy of youth and by bringing distinguished and emerging writers to the public stage. You can find out more about Red Hen Press here. Village Booksmith/ Baraboo Poets Located in Baraboo, Wisconsin, famous as the home town of the Ringling Brothers. The Village Booksmith serves as a community gathering place and center for the literary arts. Owner, Annie Randall, has created a warm inviting atmosphere that draws people in for conversation, poetry readings and musical performances, in addition to the fun of browsing the stacks of well-chosen books. The coffee house is a popular local hangout, with a constant buzz of activity. The Village hosts community events collaborating with other local businesses. The Village occupies a restored 1880s historical building on Baraboo Central Square which has won awards and other recognition for historical restoration and energy efficiency. You can find out more about the Village Booksmith here. Young Chicago Authors Young Chicago Authors encourages self-expression and literacy through creative writing, performance and publication. YCA provides student-centered, artist-led workshops free to youth ages 13-19 in schools and communities. Our process emphasizes artistic development, mentorship, and creating safe spaces where a young person's life matters. We believe that through their words, young people can promote tolerance and remove barriers to transform their lives and society. YCA is working with APP to expand programming in the Chicago area and to identify other literary organizations to build programming through out Illinois. You can find out more about Young Chicago Authors here. Featured on NBC’s Today Show… Photo credit: NBC Today Show Clip (MOV, 6 MB) NPR Segment (MP3, 1.7 MB) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © Copyright 2004-2009. All rights reserved. Site design by Andrew Hedges.

Create a Lasting Tribute with the Alzheimer's Association Website Tool You can create a moving and lasting tribute today. The Alzheimer's Association is offering you the ability to create a special Web page to be shared with friends and family about the story of your loved one who has been touched by Alzheimer's. Through your tribute, others can share their memories and also make online donations in honor or in memory of your loved one, to help advance the mission of the Alzheimer's Association. It's quick and easy to set up your tribute: Create: In about 5 minutes, you can create your tribute. Go to the website and set up a user password!

Latinos tackle alzheimer's As part of The National Latino Information Network, the Latino Med Journal provides information about Health issues affecting Latinos in the United States. This includes studies, forums, clinics, etc.

Latinos y Alzheimer Y se estima que el número de Latinos que sufren de la enfermedad de Alzheimer aumentaráq un 600 por ciento en el año 2050. Aprender sobre la enfermedad para poder mejor cuidar no solamente de su ser querido pero también de usted mismo.

Let people know you are a Champion for the cause to end Alzheimer's disease

More Alzheimer’s Risk for Hispanics, Studies Find Studies suggest that many Hispanics may have more risk factors for developing dementia than other groups, and a significant number appear to be getting Alzheimer’s earlier. And surveys indicate that Latinos, less likely to see doctors because of financial and language barriers, more often mistake dementia symptoms for normal aging, delaying diagnosis. “This is the tip of the iceberg of a huge public health challenge,” said Yanira L. Cruz, president of the National Hispanic Council on Aging. “We really need to do more research in this population to really understand why is it that we’re developing these conditions much earlier.” It is not that Hispanics are more genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s, say experts, who say the diversity of ethnicities that make up Hispanics or Latinos make a genetic explanation unlikely.

Relative risk of Alzheimer disease and age-at-onset distributions, based on APOE genotypes among elderly African Americans, Caucasians, and Hispanics in New York City. Go to siet for full article: Apolipoprotein-E epsilon 4 (APOE-epsilon 4) has been consistently associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) and may be responsible for an earlier age at onset. We have previously reported a diminished association between APOE-epsilon 4 and AD in African Americans. Using a new method, which allows inclusion of censored information, we compared relative risks by APOE genotypes in an expanded collection of cases and controls from three ethnic groups in a New York community. The relative risk for AD associated with APOE-epsilon 4 homozygosity was increased in all ethnic groups (African American relative risk [RR]=3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.5-5.9; Caucasian RR=7.3, 95% CI=2.5-21.6; and Hispanic RR=2.5, 95% CI=1.1-5.7), compared with those with APOE-epsilon 3/epsilon 3 genotypes. The risk was also increased for APOE-epsilon 4 heterozygous Caucasians (RR=2.9, 95% CI=1.7-5.1) and Hispanics (RR=1.6, 95% CI=1.1-2.3), but not for African Americans (RR=0.6, 95% Ci=0.4-0.9). The age distribution of the proportion of Caucasians and Hispanics without AD was consistently lower for APOE-epsilon 4 homozygous and APOE-epsilon 4 heterozygous individuals than for those with other APOE genotypes. In African Americans this relationship was observed only in APOE-epsilon 4 homozygotes. These results confirm that APOE genotypes influence the RR of AD in Caucasians and Hispanics. Differences in risk among APOE-epsilon 4 heterozygote African Americans suggest that other genetic or environmental factors may modify the effect of APOE-epsilon 4 in some populations

The Department of Health and Human Services The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

Aging In America Conference 2009 Aging in America, the 2009 Annual Conference of the American Society on Aging and the National Council on Aging takes place March 15-19 in Las Vegas. The ASA-NCOA Conference, with nearly 4,000 attendees, is recognized as a showcase for programs and projects that can be replicated, a forum for policy discussion and advocacy, and a prime source of information on new research findings in aging. It is the largest gathering of a diverse, multidisciplinary community of professionals from the fields of aging, healthcare and education, along with business leaders from across the United States. Attendees come from around the country and abroad to find the answers, the experts, the research, the best practices, and the most comprehensive educational offerings available to professionals. It is the place to be if you want to learn about what’s new, what works, and how you can make it work to respond to the ever-growing demands of serving an aging population. The conference provides attendees with the opportunity to network with new and old friends, gain insight from voices from the front line and find new grassroots and national partners for advocacy.

Alliance for Aging Any person age 60 or older is eligible for services from the Alliance for Aging. Certain programs have additional eligibility requirements such as income, dementia, or frailty. Caregivers of any age who are caring for an older person may be eligible for services, also. Through a staff of contract and fiscal monitors, the Alliance provides oversight of the programs and services it funds and training, technical assistance and support to the contracted agencies.

Alumnae Quarterly | The Coming of Age—Changes and Challenges in Eldercare Mount Holyoke Alumnae Quarterly | The Coming of Age—Changes and Challenges in Eldercare

American Society on Aging The largest organization of multidisciplinary professionals in the field of aging. Our resources, publications, and educational opportunities are geared to enhance the knowledge and skills of people working with older adults and their families.

Florida Department of Elder Affairs Welcome to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the primary state agency responsible for administering human services programs to benefit Florida’s large and growing elder population. Whether you are an elder or caregiver, a professional or volunteer who deals with aging issues, or just looking for information related to Florida’s older residents, we hope this website proves to be a valuable tool for you. Seniors hold a special place in Florida, which has the nation’s largest proportion of residents age 60 and older. On this website, you may access information about health and wellness, long-term care, community-based care, and Department projects and publications. The website itself is undergoing significant changes as we redesign and reorganize it. Look for even more changes in the coming months as we try to make it easier for you to find exactly what you’re looking for

NADSA Directory of Adult Day Service Centers The leading voice of the rapidly growing adult day services (ADS) industry and the national focal point for ADS providers.

National Council on the Aging, Inc. A nonprofit organization with a national network of more than 14,000 organizations and leaders with programs designed to help older people remain healthy and independent, find jobs, increase access to benefits programs, and discover meaningful ways to continue contributing to society.

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization The largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States. The organization is committed to improving end of life care and expanding access to hospice care with the goal of profoundly enhancing quality of life for people dying in America and their loved ones.

A Descent Into Alzheimer's The New York Times multimedia slideshow of William Utermohlen’s self-portraits revealing his descent into dememtia over the span of nearly four decades.

American Art Therapy Association An organization of professionals dedicated to the belief that the creative process involved in art making is healing and life enhancing.

American Music Therapy Association To advance public awareness of the benefits of music therapy and increase access to quality music therapy services in a rapidly changing world.

Mary Kathleen Rose, author of Comfort Touch Massage for the Elderly and the Ill (Lippincott, 2009) Mary Kathleen Rose, author of Comfort Touch Massage for the Elderly and the Ill (Lippincott, 2009) and registered massage therapist, consults to hospices and medical settings nationwide in implementing Comfort Touch as a complementary therapy. Visit www.comforttouch.com for information on Comfort Touch, resources, articles, and trainings. Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT 1109 Sumac Street Longmont, CO 80501-3134 303-651-9375 www.comforttouch.com

Musical Prescriptions By Sarah Godcher Murphy Music can help the lame to walk and the mute to speak. It can alleviate symptoms of serious diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Debbi Dickinson - Healing Your Grief When You've Lost Someone Close To You... Debbi Dickinson is a bereavement professional who presents programs about death and dying, bereavement issues, as well stress management and humor to the bereaved and their family and friends.

Dr. Patricia Munhall International Institute of Human Understanding

Dr. Suzanne B. Hanser, Ed.D., MT-BC Chair, Music Therapy Department Berklee College of Music

Elizabeth Cockey - Therapist, Speaker & Author Elizabeth Cockey is an art therapist, speaker, and author in the Baltimore area. She has dedicated her life to enhancing the personal and mental development of others.

Miami Life Center - Yoga. Holistic Health. Consiousness. miami life center (MLC) is an urban retreat space dedicated to the study of yoga, holistic health and consciousness.

That Barry Girl Foundation Giving women with breast cancer emotional, financial and recuperative support.

Quick Look at Alzheimer's: Four Pocket Films - Film Four These four very-short films aim to increase understanding of Alzheimer's disease. We call them"pocket" films because of their brevity and portability; they are designed to be viewed anywhere at anytime: a doctor's office, a Congressional hallway, a family living room. Anywhere a person can ask questions about Alzheimer's disease, here are some answers. These films were made by David Shenk in partnership with the Alliance for Aging Research. They were made possible by a grant through the Metlife foundation.

"Retirement Revolution" Dear Zoë A., Even if you're not a regular public television viewer, you should tune into PBS' "Retirement Revolution," which premieres this Tuesday. "Retirement Revolution" focuses on the stories of seniors who are planning for their futures in the wake of the financial collapse of 2008. The broadcast also highlights living with Alzheimer's disease, featuring interviews with Alzheimer's Association staff members Bill Thies, Beth Kallmyer and two former Early Stage Advisors, Mimi Steffen and Gary Shelton. Find out what time your local PBS station is broadcasting "Retirement Revolution." Or watch a clip of the segment online. Just click where it says "Living with Alzheimer's." http://www.pbs.org/wttw/retirementrevolution/watch/

Dementia At the End of Life As they reach the end of life, people suffering from conditions like Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Parkinson’s disease can present special problems for caregivers. People live with these diseases for years, becoming increasingly disabled. Because they do not die soon after they are diagnosed, it can be hard to think of these as terminal diseases. But they do contribute to death. Illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease make it difficult for those who want to provide supportive care at the end of life to know what is needed. Because people with advanced dementia can no longer communicate, they cannot share their concerns. Is Uncle Bert refusing food because he is not hungry or because he’s confused? Why does Grandma Ruth seem agitated? Is she in pain and needs medication to relieve it, but can’t tell you? See full article and other resources at NIH

Finding Care At the End of Life Decades ago, most people died at home, but medical advances have changed that. Today, most Americans are in hospitals or nursing homes at the end of their lives. Some people enter the hospital to get treated for an illness. Some may already be living in a nursing home. Increasingly, people are choosing hospice care at the end of life. There is no “right” place to die. And, of course, where we die is not usually something we get to decide. But, if given the choice, each person and/or his or her family should consider which type of care makes the most sense, where that kind of care can be provided, whether family and friends are available to help, and, of course, how they will manage the cost. Go to link for more information

Jewish South Africa TV Jewish South Africa Website for podcasts and other news

Providing Comfort at the End of Life Comfort care is an essential part of medical care at the end of life. It is care that helps or soothes a person who is dying. The goal is to prevent or relieve suffering as much as possible while respecting the dying person’s wishes. You are probably reading this because someone close to you is dying. Is it a parent or grandparent, your husband or wife, a favorite aunt or uncle, your best friend? You wonder what will happen. You want to know how to give comfort, what to say, what to do. At the same time, you’re possibly unsure about what is needed, worried about doing the wrong thing, or afraid of being there—or not being there—at the moment of death. You might be giving day-to-day care to the dying person, chosen to make health care decisions, or a close family member or friend who wants to help. You would like to know how to make dying easier—how to help ensure a “good death,” with treatment consistent with the dying person’s wishes. Go to link for more information

THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT "THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT" is a presentation of HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health in association with the Alzheimer's Association, The Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back® Alzheimer's Initiative. All films will stream free of charge on www.hbo.com/alzheimers and will be offered for free on multiple platforms by participating television service providers.

Understanding Health Care Decisions It can be overwhelming to be asked to make health care decisions for someone who is dying and no longer able to make his or her own decisions. It is even more difficult if you do not have written or even verbal guidance (see Planning for End-of-Life Care Decisions). How do you decide what type of care is right for someone? Even when you have written documents, some decisions still might not be clear. Two approaches might be useful. One is to put yourself in the place of the person who is dying and try to choose as he or she would. That is called substituted judgment. Sheila’s ninety-year-old mother, Esther, was in a coma after having a major stroke. The doctor said damage to Esther’s brain was widespread and she needed to be put on a breathing machine (ventilator) or she would probably die. The doctor asked Sheila if she wanted that to be done. Sheila remembered how her mother disapproved when an elderly neighbor was put on a similar machine after a stroke. She decided to say no, and her mother died peacefully a few hours later. Some experts believe that decisions should be based on substituted judgment whenever possible, but decision-makers sometimes combine that with another method. The other approach, known as best interests, is to decide what would be best for the dying person. Jim’s father, Sam, is eighty and has lung cancer, as well as advanced Parkinson’s disease. He is in a nursing facility and doesn’t seem to recognize Jim when he visits. Sam’s doctor suggested that surgery to remove part of a lung might slow down the course of the cancer and give Sam more time. But, Jim thought, “What kind of time? What would that time do for Dad?” Jim decided that putting his dad through surgery and recovery was not in Sam’s best interests. If you are making decisions for someone at the end of life and trying to use one of these approaches, it may be helpful to think about the following: •Has the dying person ever talked about what he or she would want at the end of life? •Has he or she expressed an opinion about how someone else was being treated? •What were his or her values in life? What gave meaning to life? Maybe it was being close to family—watching them grow and making memories together. Perhaps just being alive was the most important thing. As a decision-maker without specific guidance from the dying person, you need as much information as possible on which to base your actions. You might ask the doctor: •What can we expect to happen in the next few hours, days, or weeks? •Why is this new test being suggested? •Will it change the current treatment plan? •Will a new treatment help my relative get better? •How would the new treatment change his or her quality of life? •Will it give more quality time with family and friends? •How long will this treatment take to make a difference? •If we choose to try this treatment, can we stop it at any time? For any reason? •What are the side effects of the approach you are suggesting? •If we try this new treatment and it doesn’t work, what then? •If we don’t try this treatment, what will happen? •Is the improvement we saw today an overall positive sign or just something temporary? It is a good idea to have someone with you when discussing these issues with medical staff. Having someone take notes or remember details can be very useful during this emotional time. If you are unclear about something you are told, don’t be afraid to ask the doctor or nurse to repeat it or to say it another way that does make sense to you. Do not be reluctant to keep asking questions until you have all the information you need to make decisions. Make sure you know how to contact a member of the medical team if you have a question or if the dying person needs something. You may want to get pager numbers, email, or cell phone numbers. Sometimes the whole family wants to be involved in every decision. Maybe that is the family’s cultural tradition. Or, maybe the person dying did not pick one person to make health care choices before becoming unable to do so. That is not unusual, but it is probably a good idea to choose one person to be the spokesperson and the contact person when dealing with medical staff. The doctor and nurses will appreciate answering questions from only one person. Even if one family member is named as the decision-maker, it is a good idea, as much as possible, to have family agreement about the care plan. If you can’t agree on a care plan, a decision-maker, or even a spokesperson, the family might need to hire a mediator, someone trained to bring people with different opinions to a common decision. (See To Learn More below.) In any case, as soon as possible after the doctor says the patient is dying, the family should try to discuss with the medical team what approach to end-of-life care they want for their family member. That way, decision making for crucial situations can be planned and does not have to be done quickly. Go to link for more information