Alzheimer's Disease, Dementias and Healthy Aging

October Newsletter

Ageism Awareness Day on Saturday, October 7, 2023, is an opportunity to draw attention to the existence and impact of ageism in our society and how we can reframe aging in our communities.

National Council of Dementia Minds:

Webinar Series by Doctors with Dementia

Welcome to “Doctors with Dementia: Flipping the Script.” A dedicated group of retired physicians living with various types of dementia invite you to join a series of webinars in which they will share perspectives as educators and advocates. The goal is to change the way we approach dementia care. The webinars are open to those who wish to enhance their understanding of cognitive impairment, improve communication and care skills, and be a part of a collaborative and compassionate approach to supporting persons living with dementia. 

Webinars will be held every Thursday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST beginning October 19 through November 16. 

Webinar 1: Prescription for Change – October 19

Walk with us on a deeply personal journey as we confront the challenges associated with a dementia diagnosis, changing perspectives and tackling the stigma associated with dementia within the healthcare profession. Explore how medical professionals perceive and treat individuals living with dementia and learn about the vital role of self-advocacy and the power of support systems in navigating this journey.

Register for Webinar 1: Prescription for Change

October 19 at 1:00 pm EST 

Last month, the Alzheimer's Disease and Healthy Aging Program of the Vermont Department of Health and the Governor's Commission for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias launched Vermont's Dementia Friendly Communities webpage. This interactive resource contains information on growing a dementia friendly community, sector by sector. Join us in this effort to create a dementia friendly Vermont one community at a time!

Childhood Lead Exposure and

Cognitive Function in Later Life

Beginning in 2014, residents of Flint, Michigan were exposed to high levels of lead in drinking water when a new source of public water corroded the lead service lines. The Flint water crisis has highlighted the neurodevelopmental consequences—lower cognitive abilities and poorer academic outcomes—of lead exposure in children. However, several unresolved questions remain regarding the long-term health and cognitive consequences of childhood lead exposure. Do people exposed to lead as children have poor cognitive function at older ages? Do they experience faster cognitive decline? To what extent is the association between lead and cognition explained by adult socioeconomic position and cardiovascular health? Researchers conducted analyses of data that include historical plumbing and water pH data merged with records from a nationally representative sample of U.S. older adults to address these questions which have long been concerns for social and medical science researchers.

World Mental Health Day

October 10, 2023

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme "Mental health is a universal human right” to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive action that promotes and protects everyone’s mental health.

Everyone has a right to the highest attainable standard of mental health. This includes the right to be protected from mental health risks, the right to available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality care, and the right to liberty, independence and inclusion in the community.

Good mental health is vital to our overall health and well-being. Yet one in eight people globally are living with mental health conditions, which can impact their physical health, their well-being, how they connect with others, and their livelihoods. Mental health conditions are also affecting an increasing number of adolescents and young people.