Alzheimer's and Dementia

The Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. Sign up as a Team Captain, join a team or walk as an individual. This month, Answers for Elders supports the Walks and fundraising for the Alzheimer's Association. This episode, we feature an interview conducted in September 2019 with Carrie McBride, director of marketing and communications for the Alzheimer's Association, Washington Chapter.

If you're caring for a loved one who is cognitively impaired, this hour is for you. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne this hour. This segment provides an overview of mental impairments, including dementia. 12-18% of those over 60 years old have at least some mild cognitive disorder, and that is expected to grow by 20% by the year 2040. 80% of seniors in senior living communities have some kind of impairment. Most people want to age in place, particularly after Covid, and people are feeling ill-equipped when it comes to caregiving. People are looking for ways to help mom or dad, to improve their quality of life.

This segment focuses on what doctors test in the Lewy body dementia clinical trial, as well as the importance of the study participant's care partner. Dr. Daniel Burdick walks Suzanne Newman through these aspects of the clinical trial. In the shape trial, doctors are looking at elements of safety and efficacy. Safety issues include studying bloodwork, physical exams, and checking things like changes in mood. The efficacy of the medication is studied by assessing the participant's cognition: the person's ability to remember, recall, fluidly use words, retain their focus and comprehension, and plan and follow events. They'll be asked to recall words and draw figures, and these are compared from the beginning to the end of the trial. Doctors also measure brain waves with EEG to get more objective data than they can from asking questions.

The Alzheimers Association's Cory Townsend joins Suzanne to talk about fundraising for the Walk to End Alzheimer's: "There are all sorts of templates for emails and social media that you can send out to folks, so invite your friends, family, loved ones, and coworkers to join your team, and to come walk with you, and then post on social media. Send emails to those that you spend time with, and ask them to support your efforts in this Walk. Fundraising is easy. It doesn't have to be hard or scary."

Dr. Daniel Burdick from the Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Kirkland, Washington, joins Suzanne to talk about Lewy body dementia. It encompasses two separate disorders: Parkinson's dementia and Dementia with Lewy Bodies, which are very similar. One of the best ways to make your future better, if you have dementia, if you want to be proactive with the disease, is to volunteer in a clinical trial.

The Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. Sign up as a Team Captain, join a team or walk as an individual. This month, Answers for Elders supports the Walks and fundraising for the Alzheimer's Association. This episode, we feature an interview conducted in September 2019 with Josh Pan, a volunteer for the Alzheimer's Walk. He is also director of business development for Althira Pharma, a local Seattle-based business.

Carol Rosenstein joins Suzanne about Music Mends Minds using Zoom to let music transform those suffering from Parkinson's disease, dementia, or Alzheimer's.

Cory Townsend, Director of Development for the Alzheimers Association, Washington branch, joins Suzanne to talk about the Walk to End Alzheimer's. Cory says, "This cause is a lot more than professional for me. My grandfather was a great guy who taught me a lot about life, but also how to fly fish, which is one of my passions. And when he forgot my name, I was heartbroken. We lost my grandpa when he was 99, back in about 2012."

Dementia family coach Faith Marshall joins Suzanne to talk about senior scams, how and where they show up.

Allyson Schrier talks about how to use research-driven videos in the Zinnia TV app to talk and share with seniors with dementia.