Education Programs- Free and open to community

 December 19 - 5:00 p.m. | Carriage Court 1645 W Massey Rd, Memphis, 38120

  If you cannot attend a live presentation, you can watch and listen to all of our presentations at alz.org/training and we now offer webinars. If you are a part of a group that would like to have someone out to speak, please contact us.  We have several new presentations to offer on Effective Communication Strategies, Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body: Tips from the Latest Research & Understanding/Responding to Dementia-Related Behaviors.  Please call 1-800-272-3900 or email lpate@alz.org for more information or to register.

 Volunteers 

Do you know someone who is passionate about Alzheimer’s awareness? We are looking for volunteers to attend health fairs, business expos, and other community events in Carroll County, Madison County, and Dyer County. Please email jgroff@alz.org for more details.

Virtual Volunteer Opportunity

Looking for a way to get more involved with the Alzheimer's Association? You are invited to join the Volunteer Committee for The Longest Day! 

 If you are not familiar with the The Longest Day, it is a signature event of the Alzheimer's Association and is separate from the Walk to End Alzheimer's. It is a unique fundraising opportunity that occurs on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, to honor caregivers and those living with Alzheimer's, for whom every day feels like the longest day. In 2018, The Longest Day will be on Thursday, June 21. On this day, participants across the world will select something they love - or what those facing Alzheimer's love to do - to raise funds and awareness for the care, support, and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association. This past year, we had participants host BBQs, lemonade stands, galas, hiking expeditions, pool parties, zumbathons, and so much more. The possibilities are endless, and participants are limited only by their own imaginations. 

While we did big things in 2017 and raised over $120,000, we are hoping to do even bigger things in 2018. And we need your help! We are seeking passionate volunteers to join our Longest Day Volunteer Committee. This opportunity is virtual, meaning that no matter where you are located in Tennessee or North Alabama, you can participate with us. Monthly meetings will be held via conference calls. We will work to find your perfect niche in the committee, according to your interest and availability, and to ensure this is a meaningful experience for you. Now is the time to join us as we coordinate this beautiful opportunity for individuals, families, businesses, and communities to do what they love in honor of those they love who are affected by Alzheimer's. 

If you are interested in getting involved with our 2018 Longest Day Volunteer Committee, or would like to learn more, please email kewilliams@alz.org or call 615-315-5880. 

Family and Professional Caregivers

 Has your loved one's doctor or your doctor suggested you contact the Alzheimer's Association for resources, support & education? If so, please give us a call, day or night, weekday or weekend, 24/7 at 1-800-272-3900. Please let us know if a medical professional referred you to us. Our goal is that physicians in the field will know we are here for you and we have the time to talk.

 If you are a medical professional that serves those affected by Alzheimer's/dementia, please refer families affected by Alzheimer's/dementia to us. We have a referral form that we can provide you and then we will follow up with them. Even if you don't have a form on hand, ask your patients if you can have us call them or encourage them to call us when they leave your office.

Caregiver ReFresh

 ReFresh is a nonprofit program for caregiver that allows them to take a break from care giving.  Caregivers need refreshing so they won’t burnout while providing care for those who are sick, elderly, and disabled.

    ReFresh offers sessions that will help caregivers maintain balance while they provide care and give tools to better equip them for care giving situations.

  ReFresh Sessions include:

-Life Coach/Speaker

- Fitness Instructor

- Tension Release Pampering

Call Ms. Chatrece Bougard at 901-236-3606 for more information

www.caregiversrefreshcenter.com

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Grants for in-home care services may be awarded to families living with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia.  This opportunity is brought to you by Hilarity for Charity and the Home Instead Foundation.  For more information visit the website at HelpForAlzheimer’sFamilies.com.

Grants may be available through your local office for Respite (time of rest) to offer financial short term support to caregivers. Please contact your local office for more information, 1-800-272-3900.

Advocacy 

We were very excited to have Congressman Steve Cohen from District 9 attend our Memphis Walk to End Alzheimer's at Tiger Lane! He is pictured here with Giggles Memory Walkers. 

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Working with bipartisan Congressional champions, the Alzheimer’s Association through the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) was instrumental in the development and introduction of the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (S. 2076/H.R. 4256). The bill would create an Alzheimer’s public health infrastructure across the country to implement effective Alzheimer's interventions focused on public health issues such as increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations. The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act would also increase implementation of the Healthy Brain Initiative's Public Health Road Map nationwide by establishing Alzheimer’s centers of excellence, providing cooperative agreements to public health departments, and increasing data collection, analysis and timely reporting. Learn more about the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act below.

Specifically, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act would direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to:

Establish Alzheimer’s Centers of Excellence:

• The Centers will increase education of public health officials, health care professionals, and the public on Alzheimer’s, brain health, and health disparities.
• The Centers will also provide technical assistance to public health departments across the country in implementing effective Alzheimer’s interventions.
• These interventions will focus on priorities such as increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk, preventing avoidable hospitalizations, reducing health disparities, supporting the needs of caregivers and supporting care planning for people living with the disease.
• Finally, the Centers will expand innovative public private partnerships that focus on addressing cognitive impairment and health disparities.

Award cooperative agreements to public health departments:

• This funding will help public health departments implement effective Alzheimer’s interventions, including those identified by the Alzheimer’s Centers of Excellence.
• This funding will also help public health departments implement strategic actions identified in the Healthy Brain Initiative’s Public Health Road Map.

Increase data collection, analysis and timely reporting:

• Cooperative agreements to public or nonprofit private entities will increase the analysis and timely public reporting of data on Alzheimer’s, caregiving, and health disparities.
• This data will be collected using tools like the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).
• This funding will also help monitor the progress of the Alzheimer’s and caregiving objectives in the Healthy People 2020 report.

Ask Congress to Support the Bold Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act Now! 

Trial Match is the Alzheimer's Association free matching service for healthy volunteers and those with the disease to get matched with pharmacological and non-pharmacological studies in their area. We know that finding a cure greatly depends on participants for these types of studies. Some studies may even compensate the caregiver and person with dementia. If you have started a profile, please ensure that it is completed so that you may be matched. Please visit www.alz.org/trialmatch for more information.

Here are just a few examples of study titles which demonstrate the variety of types of research a person may find in TrialMatch:

• Comparing Stress Levels in Caregivers of Older Adults
• Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise in Persons with Dementia
• Curcumin and Yoga Therapy for Those at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
• Imaging Inflammation in Alzheimer's Disease
• The Study of Nasal Insulin to Fight Forgetfulness

Interested in the latest Alzheimer’s Prevention research? Sign up for the Alzheimer’s Public Health newsletter! The Alzheimer's Public Health News is an electronic newsletter published by the Alzheimer's Association as part of the Healthy Brain Initiative. It details the latest in Alzheimer's prevention research, surveillance and data, as well as other Alzheimer's news of importance to the public health community.

Please contact the Alzheimer's Association anytime at 1-800-272-3900. You can sign up to receive our weekly e-news at http://www.alz.org/apps/email_signup.asp  (including national and local news in the world of Alzheimer's disease). The Alzheimer's Association provides education, resources & support to those affected by Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. As well we have funded over 300 million in research and continue to advocate for those affected. Our VISION is a world WITHOUT Alzheimer's disease.

© 2017 Alzheimer's Association. All rights reserved.

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