Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Center |
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A message from our Director |
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I’m still basking in the glow of the recent news that our Center was funded, once again, with a five-year National Institutes of Health Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) grant.
Why am I thrilled?
For starters, the funds provided by the ADRC grant serve as the engine that drives so much of what our Center does. With this funding, we are able to support various cores that provide services from clinical assessments to data analyses and that advance our search for a better understanding of the causes of dementia so that we can develop new therapies. With this funding, we are also able to reach you with the information you seek, perhaps for yourself or someone you care about who is experiencing memory loss.
A second reason I’m excited about this renewed funding is that it allows our Center to take a huge step up from where we were -- a nascent program busily assembling the many pieces that comprise a Center -- to the level of a fully formed Center in which those pieces work together beautifully to promote research toward better care and new treatments. The fact that this year we have been asked to participate in most of the major national studies covering a wide range of dementias underscores the fact that we have indeed “arrived.”
I'm also excited because we now will be able to fund more junior investigators in ways that ensure they have the protected time and resources to push the dementia field in novel, fruitful directions. Helping to develop the next generation of leaders and dementia research is something we're particularly proud of, and this ADRC grant makes that possible.
And finally, I'm excited because we are now better able to leverage the diverse talents across our three university partnership to seek clues to more precise and earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's and related dementias. Funding for this new five year grant cycle began last week, so we're rolling up our sleeves and getting to work … for you!
I hope you enjoy the contents of our newsletter. I encourage you, particularly, to check out the resource at the bottom for tips for caregivers and families. It is outstanding! You will find it useful regardless of your level of experience. We also share an upcoming caregiver conference with our partners at Wayne State University which will undoubtedly be beneficial.
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— Henry Paulson, MD, PhD
Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Center Director
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Federal Funding Renewed for Five Years
We are thrilled to announce that we received five additional years of funding, equating to $15.3 million, from the National Institutes of Health. This grant will further develop our collaborations across the state of Michigan with our partner institutions, Michigan State University and Wayne State University. Over the coming five years, we plan to take on many new projects, one of which being the integration of early career investigators into our Center through our new Leaders Initiative program. Read more about our plans on our website in the link below.
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The Latest Edition of our Mind Matters Newsletter is Now Available
We are also pleased to share with you our latest edition of our Mind Matters newsletter. In this issue you'll find information on a new donor gift that we've received to support health disparities research in dementia, our registry that offers ongoing research opportunities for older adults who are interested, a new study collaboration with the University of Florida, Lewy Body Dementia Association and others to improve end-of-life care for persons living with Lewy body dementia, and finally, a new Wellness Initiative program, Living Grief, that seeks to support caregivers on their grief journey both while caring for, and after a loved one passes from dementia. Read on for more at the link below.
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We are pleased to share that Dr. Alexandru Iordan of the University of Michigan Psychology Department has received an Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship. He will use this important career award to study neuronal mechanisms underlying memory improvements following the delivery of weak electrical current to the brain using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).
This award supports postdoctoral fellows who are engaged in Alzheimer's research, and is an important award to receive in one's career as an independent investigator. You can read more about Dr. Iordan's project in the link below. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Iordan on this award, and we look forward to his important contributions to the field.
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Participants Needed for Research Examining Technology Use Among Older Adults |
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A group of researchers at Michigan State University are conducting a three-stage study of media and technology use among older adults. The study team, led by Dr. Anastasia Kononova in the Department of Advertising & Public Relations, is looking for individuals 50 and older with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, or Lewy body dementia and their family care partner to participate. Study partners (spouse, adult children, siblings) do not have to be 50 or older but must live in the same household as the participant. All participants in this study should have access to a stable internet connection with camera and sound available.
Each participant in the study will receive $50 compensation ($100 per household) for participation. Please contact Anastasia Kononova at kononova@msu.edu or 517-825-2851 with any study related questions.
If interested, please fill out the appropriate screening survey at the link below to get started.
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Upcoming Programs and Events |
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"The Latest Findings in Dementia Research”
September 23, 2:00 - 3:00pm
This event is part of our monthly Speaker Series, and will be presented by Bruno Giordani, PhD, Associate Director of our Center and Board Member of the Alzheimer's Association - Michigan Chapter.
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Loving On Empty: A Caregiver Conference
October 16, 9:30am - 12:30pm
This free, online conference for family caregivers is hosted by our partners at the Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology. More information and registration is available at the link below.
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Lewy Body Dementia Support Groups |
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Ann Arbor & Brighton Support Groups (Virtual)
Tuesday, September 14
Brighton and Ann Arbor groups will meet via Zoom from 2:00-3:00PM for caregivers and from 3:00-4:00PM for individuals living with LBD.
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Boyne City Support Group (In person*)
Tuesday, September 14
Boyne City group for caregivers and those living with LBD will meet from 2:00-3:00 PM. This group will meet in-person at Sommerset Pointe Yacht Club and Marina, 00970 Marina Drive, Boyne City, MI 49712.
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Michigan Caregiver Support Group (Virtual)
Tuesday, September 14
Michigan group for caregivers will meet via Zoom from 6:00-7:00 PM. All caregivers are welcome to attend!
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West Bloomfield & Lansing Support Groups (Virtual)
Thursday, September 23
West Bloomfield and Lansing groups will meet from 2:00-3:00 PM for caregivers and 3:00-4:00 PM for persons living with LBD.
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Wellness Initiative Programs |
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Catching Your Breath
September 13, 10:00 - 11:30AM
Catching Your Breath is a monthly wellbeing and mindfulness program for family caregivers of adults living with a dementia.
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Mitten Minds Support Group
September 21, 3:00 - 4:00PM
The Mitten Minds Support Group is a monthly support group for individuals with mild cognitive impairment or early stage dementia. The support group provides a space for individuals living with memory loss to meet and learn from others going through similar experiences.
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Mindfulness-based Dementia Care
October 12 - November 30, 9:30 - 11:30am
Mindfulness-based Dementia Care is an eight-week program designed for family caregivers of adults living with dementia. The program shares how the practice of mindfulness can provide support during the challenges and stresses of dementia care.
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Early on in Alzheimer’s and related dementias, people experience changes in thinking, remembering, and reasoning in a way that affects daily life and activities. Eventually, people with these diseases will need more help with simple, everyday tasks. This may include bathing, grooming, and dressing. It may be upsetting to the person to need help with such personal activities.
Here are a few tips to consider early on and as the disease progresses:
- Try to keep a routine, such as bathing, dressing, and eating at the same time each day.
- Help the person write down to-do lists, appointments, and events in a notebook or calendar.
- Plan activities that the person enjoys and try to do them at the same time each day.
- Consider a system or reminders for helping those who must take medications regularly.
- When dressing or bathing, allow the person to do as much as possible.
- Buy loose-fitting, comfortable, easy-to-use clothing, such as clothes with elastic waistbands, fabric fasteners, or large zipper pulls instead of shoelaces, buttons, or buckles.
- Use a sturdy shower chair to support a person who is unsteady and to prevent falls. You can buy shower chairs at drug stores and medical supply stores.
- Be gentle and respectful. Tell the person what you are going to do, step by step while you help them bathe or get dressed.
- Serve meals in a consistent, familiar place and give the person enough time to eat.
For this more tips for caregivers and families of people with dementia, visit this resource on Alzheimers.gov at the link below.
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