The meeting date for the Lowville caregiver support group has changed for the month of June. This month’s meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 26 at 4:30 p.m.
Category Archives: Chapter News
HHS Releases Update to National Alzheimer’s Plan
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease: 2013 Update. The first-ever National Alzheimer’s Plan, initially released in May 2012, was mandated by the bipartisan National Alzheimer’s Project Act (P.L. 111-375), which Congress passed unanimously in 2010. The 2013 Update includes a new timeline for achieving its first goal – prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 – and a review of progress over the past year.
READ: National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease
READ: National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease: 2013 Update
“The Alzheimer’s Association commends HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for her ongoing work to ensure a strong implementation of the National Alzheimer’s Plan and the inclusion of a timeline to reach the Plan’s goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s disease by 2025,” said Harry Johns, President and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association and member of the Advisory Council to the Plan. “So that this plan called for by Congress can be translated into results, Congress now must continue its leadership by supporting the additional $100 million included in the President’s fiscal year 2014 budget for the fight against Alzheimer’s.” Continue reading
Watertown Elementary Studies Do A Little Big Thing
Over the next two months, The Chapter is focusing on ways you can Do A Little Big Thing in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Today, we shine the spotlight on a Little Big Thing that happened Thursday in Watertown.
The Widrick triplets — Evan, Nolan and Reese — led their classmates at Sherman Elementary in Watertown in an effort called “Change for a Change.”
The second annual event involved the entire school collecting spare change to support the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter. At a school assembly on Thursday, the triplets and their 350+ classmates presented the Chapter with a check for $1,005.
NEWS COVERAGE: Elementary students collect $1,000 for Alzheimer’s Association (YNN)
Following the assembly, the students walked with their teachers to a neighboring facility, Samaritan Keep Home, where they visited and sang to the residents.
The triplets, who take part in the Greater Watertown Walk To End Alzheimer’s each fall with their family on the “Walking for Nana” team, started this fundraiser with help from their parents and the school last year. They have raised more than $2,000 to support the fight against Alzheimer’s disease in their two years of collecting Change for a Change.
Saturday Science of Hope Presentation Postponed
The Chapter has announced that it will postpone its event “The Science of Hope,” scheduled for Saturday at the SUNY Oswego Metro Center. The Chapter will announce details for the rescheduled program at a later date.
DO A LITTLE BIG THING: Don’t Just Walk To End Alzheimer’s®
Have your ever wondered how an event like Walk To End Alzheimer’s® comes together? Did you ever say to yourself, “I have an idea that could make this event better.”
The Alzheimer’s Association Walk To End Alzheimer’s® is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. Since 1989, we’ve mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk; now we’re continuing to lead the way with the Walk To End Alzheimer’s®.
Each Walk has its own specific committee that works to identify, cultivate and solicit Walk sponsors; promote the event in the community; and help recruit walkers, teams and volunteers. Committees meet on a monthly basis and work directly with the chapter staff to make Walk To End Alzheimer’s® a successful event.
Together, we can end Alzheimer’s — the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death. Email cny-volunteer@alz.org or call the office nearest you and press 7 to learn more.
During the months of June and July, the Chapter is going to show you how you can Do A Little Big Thing to end Alzheimer’s. Stay tuned every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for another way to get involved with the cause and bring us closer to a cure.
DO A LITTLE BIG THING: Giving at Work
Everyone wins with workplace giving campaigns.
They offer employees a chance to donate to a worthy cause directly from their paycheck, often times using pre-tax dollars. Companies know they are making their community a better place to live by offering their staff a chance to make an easy and affordable charitable contribution. Nonprofits, like the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter, benefit from the generosity of donors who choose to designate dollars to their cause.
Giving to the Chapter during your company’s campaign is as easy as writing our name. We are a member of Community Health Charities and a number of other corporate workplace giving organizations. During United Way giving campaigns, you can simply write-in our chapter’s name: Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter.
Public employees can also get in on the act. We participate in the Combined Federated Campaign (CFC #6208) or the State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA #59-704). All you have to do is mark the application with our organization code.
During the months of June and July, the Chapter is going to show you how you can Do A Little Big Thing to end Alzheimer’s. Stay tuned every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for another way to get involved with the cause and bring us closer to a cure.
DO A LITTLE BIG THING: The Science of Hope
The race is on. Alzheimer’s and related dementia research is a dynamic field, and momentum builds each year. Researchers from around the world are testing new ways to detect, treating and preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Recruiting and retaining clinical trial participants is now the greatest obstacle, other than funding, to developing the next generation of Alzheimer’s treatments.
The Science of Hope is a two-hour presentation that will discuss the past, present and future of Alzheimer’s research and how you can be part of it. Staff from the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter will present this program and address questions about Alzheimer’s research at:
- SUNY Oswego Metro Center, 2 Clinton Square, Syracuse on June 15 from 9-11 a.m.
- Johnson City Senior Center, 30 Brocton St., Johnson City on June 18 from 6-8 p.m.
- St. Luke’s Home, 1650 Champlin Ave., New Hartford on August 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
During the months of June and July, the Chapter is going to show you how you can Do A Little Big Thing to end Alzheimer’s. Stay tuned every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for another way to get involved with the cause and bring us closer to a cure.
NUTRITION & ALZHEIMER’S: Nutritional Supplements
The latest in a series by Dr. Christina Hasemann, Ph.D., RD, L/CDN.
While no special diet is required for people with Alzheimer’s disease — unless they have another condition, such as diabetes, that requires diet monitoring — eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet is extremely beneficial. With the proper diet, your body will work more efficiently, you’ll have more energy, and your medications will work properly.
In the last Nutrition Basics article, we looked at weight loss and suggestions on how to stabilize it. When weight loss occurs or when there is variability in one’s appetite, it may also be worthwhile to take a closer look at nutritional supplements. Nutritional supplements provide calories and beneficial nutrients. Most supplements like Ensure, or its diabetic friendly cousin, Glucerna, are considered balanced, complete nutritionals. This means that if you consumed them, and only them, in an adequate quantity they would provide all the nutrients you need to survive.
In stores you may have seen Boost or Slimfast. They are also nutritional supplements. These products were originally marketed as meal replacements for people trying to lose weight. They will provide about 250 calories per 8 oz and all the beneficial nutrients in additional to foods if used as a supplement to meals and snacks. Some of the flavor options are better than Ensure or Glucerna as well! Another option, especially if the person who needs supplementation is a milk-drinker, is to try Carnation Breakfast Essentials. This is a powder that is mixed with milk and can be found in the breakfast cereal aisle in any grocery store. For a real hefty caloric treat — make it with whole milk, light cream or half & half!
Nutritional supplements aren’t well received by all who might benefit from them. Many people do not like the creamy, milky texture of these supplements. If that is the case, there are still choices. Some companies make a clear juice-like supplement. The one that is easiest to find is Ensure Clear. While not a complete supplement, it certainly adds calories, protein and some essential vitamins and minerals to one’s diet.
Nutritional supplements can be used at any point when you see weight loss or a greater amount of variability in one’s appetite. They can be a great way of getting extra calories and nutrients in. Even if your loved one doesn’t care for the taste of Ensure (or another product), offer 1 – 2 ounces in a shot glass with a chaser of choice. You can also use these products in recipes in place of milk like in cream soups, puddings, hot cereals, hot chocolate, milkshakes, etc.
Dr. Christina Hasemann, Ph.D., RD, L/CDN is a member of the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter board of directors. Dr. Hasemann is a registered dietician who specializes in senior nutrition, and president of NY-Penn Nutrition Services, Inc. This is the first column in a bi-monthly series she will write for the Chapter.