Vol. 15, No. 4

April 2024

Dear Friends:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur when a blow or jolt to the head results in damage to the brain. A service member being injured by the concussive force of an explosion is how many of the public think about TBI, but this brain injury may also be the result of a sporting mishap, car crash, or even accidentally hitting your head on a door frame. 

For TBI caregivers, FCA has resources and support to help you on your caregiving journey including fact sheets: Traumatic Brain Injury, Coping with Behavior Problems after Brain Injury, and Traumatic Brain Injury – CA Resources. Additionally, caregivers are encouraged to view FCA’s webinar recording “Caregiver Support & The Power of Community (Brain Injury Survivors and Caregivers).”

• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Coping with Behavior Problems after Brain Injury
• Traumatic Brain Injury – CA Resources
• Caregiver Support & The Power of Community (Brain Injury Survivors and Caregivers)

Sincerely,

Calvin Hu

Education Coordinator

edprograms@caregiver.org

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

— Chinese Proverb

Get Your Own Personalized Caregiving Resource Dashboard

Go online to complete a brief questionnaire and get a personal dashboard loaded with information that matches your unique caregiving needs. CareNav, our secure online service, offers quality information, support, and resources for family caregivers of adults with chronic physical or cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, Parkinson’s, and other illnesses.

To learn more, click here or register here.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Caregiving 

Alzheimerʼs disease (AD) is a condition that causes abnormal changes in the brain affecting memory and other cognitive abilities. Loss of memory is the usual first symptom. As the disease progresses, the loss of reasoning ability, language, decision-making ability, judgment, and other critical skills make navigating day-to-day living impossible without help from others. Sometimes, but not always, changes in personality and behavior occur. This FCA fact sheet provides information on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, care, and resources

Finding an Attorney to Help with Estate Planning 

Before you or a loved one is faced with a life-limiting illness or cognitive impairment, it is important to have completed the legal paperwork necessary for estate planning. Unfortunately, this often not the case, and family is trying to get the necessary legal documents completed under difficult circumstances, such as cognitive impairment, where someone is no longer able to manage his/her affairs or a medical crisis. This FCA fact sheet explains the importance of legal advice for estate planning, ideas on locating an attorney, and what to bring to a consultation.

Taking Care of YOU: Self-Care for Family Caregivers

Self-care is an important, and often overlooked, aspect of caregiving. Practicing self-care will help with mental, emotional, and physical health and will also benefit the person for whom you are providing care. Reading Taking Care of YOU is a useful first step in practicing self-care. Some of the topics covered in this fact sheet include identifying personal barriers, reducing stress, seeking goals, and starting to exercise.

Caregiver Resource Center Classes 

The California Caregiver Resource Centers (CRC) serve families and caregivers of adults affected by chronic and debilitating health conditions (FCA is the San Francisco Bay Area CRC). FCA is now hosting a calendar of classes, workshops, and events compiled from each of the 11 CRCs and open to family caregivers across the country.

For more information on May events, please click here.

Feeling Angry as a Family Caregiver? You Are Not Alone 

Thanks to greater advocacy and awareness, the role of family caregiver has been mostly recognized as being very difficult, especially the emotional toll. But for many, the idea of caregiver anger has remained almost taboo. AARP expert Lee Woodruff attempts to spotlight this very human reaction, to an often extremely challenging situation. 

AI for Older Adults — Friend or Foe? 

Artificial intelligence (AI) adoption is making inroads in business and work. Not surprisingly, companies are now focusing on how AI might be harnessed to support older adults. Next Avenue’s Edd and Cynthia Staton give an overview of consumer apps and products that are targeted to the needs of older adults. They also explain some of the reservations this same group might have in adopting the technology. 

CAREGIVERS CONNECT:

FCA EVENTS

Let’s Get Away, Together

This series is comprised of interactive sessions with each week focusing on a new place or cultural activity, while incorporating storytelling, music, poetry writing, and/or a simple craft. Each session will include a follow-up message filled with tips, activities, and recipes for families to continue to enjoy after the virtual trip. The focus of each group is to explore a new world, experience a variety of engaging opportunities, and enjoy a sense of camaraderie and community.

Let’s Get Away Together is intended to be an enjoyable activity for family caregivers and the person they care for. Those receiving care who are able to participate in the discussion and activities are encouraged to attend with their family caregiver.

May 7th

Let’s Explore Flowers!

Exploring the Glory of Nature through Unusual Flora!

May 14th

Let’s Celebrate Mothers

… and maybe not the kind you were thinking of!

May 21st

Let’s Explore the Olympics

Join our fun-filled journey, getting Ready for the 2024 Olympics!

When: Tuesdays, April 2 to May 21, from 1 to 2 p.m. (Pacific time)

Where: ONLINE

Cost: No charge

Registration: Click here

  

This class is funded by Alameda County Department of Adult and Aging Services, Contra Costa County Area Agency on Aging, the City of San Francisco’s Department of Disability and Aging Services, San Mateo County Aging and Adult Services, Sourcewise, and the California Department of Aging.

第12屆粵語阿滋海默症論壇

與你同行，關注腦部健康

 記憶力衰退可能是失智症的早期徵兆。近七百萬 65 歲以上美國人患有阿滋海默症。三分之一的長者在去世時患有阿滋海默症或相關失智症。 歡迎參加由家庭照顧者聯盟和阿滋海默症協會合辦的免的粵語健康視訊講座。專家與你分享阿滋海默症和相關失智症的知識，診斷及治療的最新進展，法律規劃的重要性，以及支援照顧者的資源等等。機會難得， 報名從速！

會議主持

梁展穎

註冊護士，KTSF 主持人、新聞記者，阿滋海默症協會華人顧問委員、社區講師

費用：免費

日期: 2024 年 5 月 3 日， 星期五

時間: 上午十點至十一點半（太平洋夏令時間）

報名後，您將收到一封確認電子郵

件，其中包含有關加入視訊會議的信息。

更多詳情， 請聯絡歐小榮：電郵 xou@alz.org 或短信 408.372.9926

需提前報名：

tinyurl.com/CantoneseAlzForum2024

演講嘉賓

李林雪玲

家屬照顧者

李寶禎博士

西奈山醫院臨床腦神經心理學家, 紐約西奈山伊坎

醫學院精神科副教授,

陳麗君

家庭顧問, 家庭照顧者聯盟, 國家護理中心

李傑夫

律師和法律顧問

歐小榮博士

社區參與經理, 研究宣導, 阿滋海默症協會北加州與

北內華達州分會

THE 12TH ANNUAL CANTONESE FORUM

TOGETHER FOR BETTER BRAIN HEALTH

(PRESENTED IN CANTONESE)

Memory loss can be an early sign of dementia. Nearly seven million 65+ Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Please join us in this free health webinar in Cantonese brought to you by Family Caregiver Alliance and Alzheimer’s Association. The experts in the field will share with you the current knowledge on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, the latest in diagnosis and treatment, the importance of legal planning, and caregiver support resources. 

MODERATOR

Christina Chow

RN, KTSF Host and Reporter, Alzheimer’s Association Advisory Board Member and Community Educator

DATE: FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2024, 10-11:30 A.M. (PDT)

COST: FREE

MORE INFO: Please contact Xiaorong Ou at xou@alz.org or 408.372.9926

REGISTER:

tinyurl.com/CantoneseAlzForum2024

SPEAKERS:

Linh Ly

Family Caregiver

Clara Li, PhD

Clinical Neuropsychologist and Associate Professor,

Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of

Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York

Geoffrey Lee

Principal Attorney, Legato Law

Queenie Chan

Family Consultant, Family Caregiver Alliance,

National Center on Caregiving

Xiaorong Ou, PhD

Community Engagement Manager, Research

Champion, Alzheimer’s Association Northern

California And Northern Nevada Chapter

Aging 360 workshop: Making your home a partner in caregiving

This is a three session workshop designed by the nonprofit organization At Home With Growing Older to help you, as a caregiver, make the home the care receiver is living in more dementia and aging friendly. An architect and a social worker will co-lead the workshop sessions and discuss both simple, and more complex adaptations to the home to improve safety and livability while keeping the needs of someone with dementia in mind.

Open to family caregivers who are residents of the San Francisco Bay Area

When: May 23, May 30, and June 6 -- 10 am to 11:30 am (PT)

Where: ONLINE

Cost: No charge

Registration: Click here

This class is funded by Alameda County Department of Adult and Aging Services, Contra Costa County Area Agency on Aging, the City of San Francisco’s Department of Disability and Aging Services, San Mateo County Aging and Adult Services, Sourcewise, and the California Department of Aging.

CAREGIVING POLICY DIGEST

Caregiving Policy Digest is a publication of the National Center on Caregiving, a program of Family Caregiver Alliance. The newsletter offers a fresh look at the rapidly changing world of caregiving policy―at the local, national, and international levels.

You’ll receive briefings on key legislation, news on innovative public programs, and the latest information on caregiving and long-term care policy at national and state levels. Subscribe here.

Click here to view archived issues of Policy Digest.

Professional Research Listings

• Invitation to Participate: Survey on Working and Caregiving in the U.S
• Are you a caregiver of an adult over 50 years old, and willing to try Routinify services at no cost?
• Are you or a loved one living with early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment?
• Caregiver VOICE Survey Study
• Compass for Care: Inviting caregivers of family members or friends with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia to participate in a study to test new online programs
• Dementia Caregiver Study
• Inviting grandchildren, nieces/nephews, siblings, and step-kin to participate in a telephone-based dementia caregiving study
• Nationwide Study for Understanding and Improving Surgical Decision-Making for Persons Living with Dementia, their Family Caregivers, and their Providers – Patients and Caregivers Needed
• Technology-Enabled Services to Support Caregivers of Older Adults with Depression
• UC Davis Research Focuses on Technology to Advance Independent Aging and Caregiving from a Distance

Graduate Student Research Listings

• Caring for a Parent with Dementia
• Characterizing Risk Factors for Burden in Caregivers to Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia
• Exploring the Challenges and Support Needs of Informal Caregivers of Patients with Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Qualitative Study
• Latino Caring of Caregivers Online (COCO)
• Measuring Emotional Distress in Caregiver and Patients with Primary Brain Tumors
• Safe at Home
• The Couples Lived Experience Study - Boston University

Thank you!

We would like to take a moment to extend a warm thank you to the many generous supporters who make the work we do possible through thoughtful donations to Family Caregiver Alliance.

FCA has led the way in supporting family caregivers for over 40 years. Your donation makes all the difference!

CONNECTIONS CREDITS



Editors: Calvin Hu, Al Martinez

Contributors: Kathleen Kelly, Executive Director, Calvin Hu, Lana Sheridan, Leah Eskenazi

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Ian Tong

Vice President: Karen Sperling

Treasurer: Keely Stevenson

Secretary: Amanda Breeden Warner

Athan Bezaitis, Amber Christ, Deborah Kan, Shruti Kothari, Mary Ellen Kullman, Scott Peifer, Tiffany Riser, Wyatt Ritchie, Marda Stothers, Celine Takatsuno.