Rebecca M. Edelmayer, Ph.D guided me through topics on air pollution, education and Transgender risks for Alzheimer's.

 

I was honored to interview two renowned people from the Alzheimer's Association before the start of this year's International Conference. The AAIC is the largest and most influential international meeting dedicated to advancing dementia science. Each year, AAIC convenes the world's leading basic science and clinical researchers, next-generation investigators, clinicians, and the care research community to share research discoveries that'll lead to methods of prevention and treatment and improvements in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

My first guest is Rebecca M. Edelmayer, Ph.D. As senior director, Scientific Engagement for the Alzheimer's Association. You can read her bio here.
Topics Covered
Dr. Edelmayer and I discussed three topics that were presented at the conference. First up is how improving air quality reduces dementia risk. Both increasing levels of air pollution and increasing cases of dementia are worldwide public health crises. While research has previously linked air quality and cognition, these new data at AAIC 2021 explore how air pollutants might impact dementia and what reducing them might mean for long-term brain health.

Our second topic discussed was how an increase in education could lower your dementia risk. However, the increase in education is offset by poor lifestyle choices like smoking.

Our third and final topic covered focused on the transgender community. According to two studies presented at the conference, Transgender and gender nonbinary adults in the U.S. are more likely to report worsening memory and thinking functional limitations and depression than cisgender (non-transgender) adults.
Curious Minds Will Tune In
I found this topic fascinating, and I learned a few new things. I haven't had many interactions with the transgender community and none when we're talking about Alzheimer's.

If you're interested in furthering your knowledge about the potential causes and preventions of Alzheimer's, this is the episode to tune in and hear.

TRANSCRIPT
Related Episodes:
Hope on the Horizon? (Research Interview)

Are We Closer to a Cure?

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

 
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
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There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

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Helping Kids be effective caregivers helps everyone.

Many people assume kids can't be caregivers. As an older adult family member progresses in their disease, some of the things they do can be scary for younger kids. Children can become confused when Grandma forgets how old they are or GrandDad asks the same questions all the time.

Adult caregivers struggle with how Alzheimer's affects their loved ones. A person who used to be warm and friendly can suddenly become angry and unreasonable. It would be a typical act of love to do our best to shield kids from caregiving. 

However, kids can be fantastic caregivers to an older family member if we help them understand what is happening. Some tips for talking to kids about Alzheimer's from Aging Care are;  

It is a disease that affects how the brain works.
It is not contagious.
Symptoms like memory loss, disorientation, difficulty communicating, and changes in mood and behavior will worsen over time.
While there isn't a cure for Alzheimer's, some treatments can help improve specific symptoms.

More Tips
Keep conversations about what is happening age-appropriate and straightforward. You can tell younger kids that Grandma's brain is sick. Comparing it to an illness, they've had in the past may help them understand. They may look the same on the outside, but inside, their brain is changing.

Kids are very observant. Attempting to shield them from what is happening is unlikely to work. Worse, it can make them afraid of their loved ones. Encouraging kids to ask questions, help when they can go a long way in assisting them to become effective caregivers.

Kids have unique qualities that make them naturally good at some caregiving tasks. In this episode, I talk to Deborah Mills; a caregiver turned author. Deborah takes care of her Mother and also helps out with the grandkids. Her household is a perfect example of multi-generational caregiving. 

In “My Granny Needs Help”, Deborah helps kids understand how to be good caregivers. It is a beautifully illustrated book. Naturally, she based the characters on her own family. 

This episode also has a special guest, so be sure to hear her too!

Grab My Granny Needs My Help Here
My Journal My Thoughts: A Place to Write Down What I'm Thinking and Feeling
 

TRANSCRIPT

 

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

 
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
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If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers!  You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Want to learn from Jennifer in person (or virtually)? Wherever you'd like a training session, Jen is available. Contact her at fadingmemoriespodcast@gmail.com

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Does Exercise Really Prevent Alzheimer's?

Does exercise prevent Alzheimer's? It can. When you combine the results of 11 studies, it shows that regular exercise can significantly reduce the risk of developing dementia by about 30 percent. For Alzheimer's disease, the risk was reduced by 45 percent. 

Your next question is probably, how does exercise help prevent Alzheimer's? Exercise stimulates the brain in a way that helps maintain neural connections. Regular aerobic exercise can also help the brain to create new neural pathways. I don't know a better definition of “use it or lose it.”

New studies have shown that you can add tricks to your aerobic exercises to make them even more cognitively stimulating. The most enjoyable addition is simply walking and talking with a friend. If you have to go it alone, or with just the dogs like me, you can play a few mind games while you walk. Try counting backward from 500 by sevens. You can also try to name as many words that start with the same letter in a certain amount of time.

Another dual challenge would be to name what you see in a foreign language. That's a twofer in the cognitive stimulation game! If you listen to a language learning podcast while you walk, it might make this easier.
Other simple tricks
To help stimulate your brain while you exercise does require two people, but I'm confident you can develop something that works well for you. Take turns calling out different items you see as you walk. Decide if it's an animal, mineral, or neither. For each category, have an additional move you complete; for each dog you see, do a squat, each plant (mineral), do a jumping jack, and if your partner calls out an item that's neither, complete a lunge on each side. 

Get creative and see how many different cognitive enhancements you can create. Variety is also good for your brain.

In this episode, Christopher Howard, Ph.D., and I talk to his trainer friend Austin about exercise and brain health. We discuss specific things related to aging and movement, like balance moves. It's a step up from past exercise conversations.

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NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

 
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
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There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Want to learn from Jennifer in person (or virtually)? Wherever you'd like a training session, Jen is available. Contact her at fadingmemoriespodcast@gmail.com

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How does the new Alzheimer's treatment drug affect our search for a cure?

In the 90s, Alzheimer's researchers were full of optimism that they would find a cure for the disease. Genetic studies all pointed to one culprit—hard clumps of protein, called amyloid, that litter the brains of people with the disease. (Scott Small, MD, Columbia Medicine)

More than thirty years later, we're still looking for a cure, a treatment, or even prevention. Much of the research is still focusing on amyloid and tau proteins, whose malformation are classic characteristics of Alzheimer's disease. But other factors likely play a role, including vascular health, inflammation, lifestyle, and possibly even viral causes. (Healthline Rachel Barclay)

With the latest announcement of Biogen's drug, there is hope and controversy. There is not much evidence that it will work on most people with Alzheimer's; it needs to be started early in the disease and the cost is staggering. At this time, it appears the drug will only be made available to those patients in the earliest stages of the disease.
Barriers?
Cost is also a considerable barrier for many people. Medicare is the primary payment method for those with the disease, and the price will likely lead to further rationing of the treatment. The one bright spot that I see, this new possibility for treatment might get people diagnosed much earlier.

I've gathered many opinions on this topic. Understandably, there are various them, but the underlying argument is this is only the first step.

Edward Park of NeuroReserve thinks we'll end up with a drug and lifestyle cocktail. My guests in this episode are hopeful as well.

Transcript

Related Episodes:

Could Cannabis be a Cure for Alzheimer’s?

A Ray of Hope? Stabilizing Cognitive Decline

 

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NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

 
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
Join Fading Memories On Social Media!
If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers!  You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Want to learn from Jennifer in person (or virtually)? Wherever you'd like a training session, Jen is available. Contact her at fadingmemoriespodcast@gmail.com

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iAlly is a Millennial Caregiver Tool

About one out of six millennial caregivers care for someone with dementia, with an average age of 27 years. Because these caregivers are at a different life stage than older, spousal caregivers, their needs are widely different.

Many young adult caregivers put their careers on hold, move back to their childhood home and become 24/7 caregivers overnight. Loneliness and depression are common. Almost all caregivers feel isolated, but this is worse for the younger population. 

This episode features Lucinda Koz, a young adult who is taking care of her father. After her own experience becoming her father's full-time caregiver at a young age, Lucinda's life's mission became to advocate for Millennial family caregivers.

Lucinda is part of TechCrunch, and she has created an app specifically tailored to address the needs of millennial caregivers. Designed to connect and empower this group of caregivers, iAlly is also a voice for change.

I-Ally: is not just a place to support each other and be with people who know what they're going through; not just a place to get the best resources and information available; not just a place for us to focus on our health and wellbeing; but also a vehicle for their own empowerment.

i-Ally Inc Website

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Transcript

 

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

 
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
Join Fading Memories On Social Media!
If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers!  You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Want to learn from Jennifer in person (or virtually)? Wherever you'd like a training session, Jen is available. Contact her at fadingmemoriespodcast@gmail.com

 

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Caregiver guilt was a constant struggle for Lauren while caring for her Mom.

Most of the caregivers I've spoken to have some level of guilt. For many of us, the guilt is significant. Why is this? The answer may not be surprising.

Caregivers tend to neglect their own emotional needs. Taking care of a significantly needy adult, especially if that person is our parent, can quickly suck us in. One day we're living our lives, doing all the things most working-age adults do, and then suddenly, our world is upended.

When this happens to younger working-age adults, the desire to continue living our own lives coupled with the emotional need to care for our parent is a tug-of-war that takes a toll on our mental health.

I was in my early thirties when it became evident that my Mom was having cognitive issues. In today's episode, I talk to Lauren Dykovitz, who had to navigate early adulthood and her Moms Alzheimer's at the same time.

Lauren is the author of “Life, Love & Alzheimer's”. This book is about the early journey with her Mom's illness. Lauren just published her second book, “When Only Love Remains”, this past month.

We discuss her caregiving journey, how we both had lots of guilt and how to get past that feeling.
Related Episodes:
Caregiver Confessions (with IWB Podcast)

Talking with Psychology in Seattle Podcast

Transcript

 

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NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
Join Fading Memories On Social Media!
If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers!  You'll find us on social media at the following links.

Facebook    Instagram    Twitter

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Want to learn from Jennifer in person (or virtually)? Wherever you'd like a training session, Jen is available. Contact her at fadingmemoriespodcast@gmail.com

 

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Being death positive has many benefits. It doesn't make us callous.

Despite its name, the death positive movement isn't a yellow smiley face–substitute for grief. Instead, it's a way of moving toward neutral acceptance of death. It's embracing values that make us more conscious of our day-to-day living.

Having death anxiety can help motivate us to “live life to the fullest”. It can encourage us to make our mark in the world. Focusing on our legacies is another positive impact of a natural fear of dying. 

In contrast, death anxiety can lead to erratic or cynical behavior, such as extreme vanity, controlling others, or denial. Proponents of the death positive movement argue there are healthier ways to discuss death and even propose methods of relieving death anxiety in the process.

Having a more positive view of dying allows us to voice concerns, get advice, tell stories, and mingle in a free, open way.  In my family, death positivity has allowed us to be free to discuss end-of-life wishes, concerns, and more.

Related Episodes:

Letting Go With Love

Smiling Through Your Tears

Transcript

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NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve : 
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
Join Fading Memories On Social Media!
If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers!  You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Want to learn from Jennifer in person (or virtually)? Wherever you'd like a training session, Jen is available. Contact her at fadingmemoriespodcast@gmail.com

 

 

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Running All Over the World – A Race Against Early-Onset Alzheimer's

What do marathon runners do when one needs open-heart surgery and the other is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's? Would you believe, retire from their jobs, sell their home, and become nomads running all over the world?

That's exactly what today's guest, Tony Copeland-Parker, and his partner, Catherine Popp did back in 2015. Since then, he and his partner Catherine have traveled to 82 different countries. They have run at least a half-marathon in thirty-five countries and on all seven continents. Tony has also written a book, Running All Over The World, Our Race Against Early Onset Alzheimer’s. It became available on June 15, 2021.

The reason for running all over the world was to maintain Catherine's cognitive functions for as long as possible. Most of us understand the health & cognitive benefits of exercise so why not continue their love of marathon running?

Reading Tony's book will inspire you to add movement to your health care routine. If he and Cat can manage world travels the majority of us can strive to move more for our own brain health.

Tony's Blog

Buy Running All Over The World
Related Episode:
Alzheimer's Trippin' With George

Transcript

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NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve : 
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
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If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers!  You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Want to learn from Jennifer in person (or virtually)? Wherever you'd like a training session, Jen is available. Contact her at fadingmemoriespodcast@gmail.com

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Don't let yourself down, get the savvy guide to burial insurance.

If you are considering burial insurance, then pat yourself on the back. You are thinking ahead — and beyond.

For most of us, retirement planning involves deciding how to make our money last until the end of our life. One crucial part of the plan that it is easy to overlook is figuring out how much money will be needed to cover the expenses required to wrap up our affairs after we’re gone. So if you are working on figuring that out, you are ahead of the game.

Too many people make the wrong choices when it comes to buying burial insurance. If not done properly, you could be paying more in premiums. Facing longer wait times or being denied altogether are also potential outcomes.

In this episode, author Al Kushner shows how to avoid the mistakes that could damage your chances of taking care of your funeral expenses. You will get the lowdown on level, graded, modified, and guaranteed-issue policies and how to find the right agent for you.

Al Kushner is a recognized Financial Educator, Author, Speaker, and Retirement Specialist. As the Founder and President of Superior Mutual Inc, Al and his team help families and individuals preserve, protect, and pass on a lasting legacy. He is a warm and gifted communicator who has a passion for helping hard-working seniors keep more of what they have worked a lifetime to save. For more information call 888-810-9725 or visit SuperiorMutual.com

Get the Guide

Transcript
Related Episodes
Log Term Care Insurance Explained – 

Medicare Demystified

Medicaid & You – All You Need to Know

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NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve Website : 
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
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If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers!  You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Want to learn from Jennifer in person (or virtually)? Wherever you'd like a training session, Jen is available. Contact her at fadingmemoriespodcast@gmail.com

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Streaming Happy Things with Joygage

Last year (2020), streaming our entertainment became one of our coping tools. Even our social lives essentially became streaming events. When the pandemic restrictions started lifting, many of us were eager to return to live concerts, movies, and seeing loved ones in person.

For many parts of our society, streaming much of our lives is still an important coping tool. Family caregivers frequently struggle to find ways to engage and entertain their loved ones. Caregivers need ways to have their own time, their own space to decompress, rest, and take care of themselves.

What if there were a streaming service specifically designed for older adults? Does that sound like a wish? Well, your wish has come true.

Craig Fowler has created Joygage, a streaming service geared for older adults. His mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's in 2005.  He watched her become frustrated and saddened as she lost her ability to do the activities she once enjoyed.

Because of the constant needs and demands of his mother's dementia, his father became exhausted and isolated. Life changed for their family.  Dementia transformed his mother's once joyful demeanor, and the demands of caregiving deteriorated his father's health.

If this story sounds familiar, then you want to subscribe to Joygage. Joygages streaming service allows you to watch movies and TV, play games, engage in activities, store memories, and more are added regularly!

Transcript:

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NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve : 
Be sure to check out our website for more resources, partners, recipes, and more.  www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com
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If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers!  You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Want to learn from Jennifer in person (or virtually)? Wherever you'd like a training session, Jen is available. Contact her at fadingmemoriespodcast@gmail.com

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