November’s Alzheimer’s Awareness Month is the best time to remind the world that we’re staring at a public health crisis with this disease.
Especially in Florida.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, some 580,000 Floridians are living with this degenerative, invariably fatal condition — and the state’s aging population means that figure will continue increasing.
Of course, Florida isn’t the only state facing such a potential public health crisis. An estimated 7 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and the cost — both emotional and financial — of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is staggering.
To help those affected by the disease, on Nov. 19 the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America will host a free Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference at the Boca Raton Marriott.
“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Alzheimer’s Foundation of America President and CEO Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. “Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about.”
The conference will feature three presentations from local experts. Let’s take a quick look at some of the topics that will be covered.
‘Brain Health and Alzheimer’s Disease: Trials, Treatments, and Prevention’
University of Miami neurologist and memory expert Dr. James Galvin will discuss how taking proper steps to maintain brain health is essential to maintaining optimal cognitive function as we age. His presentation will cover healthy brain aging and how to build a better and healthier brain as we age.
University of Miami neurologist and memory expert Dr. James Galvin
He’ll cover the most commonplace Alzheimer’s disease risk factors, as well as signs and symptoms of the disease.
Galvin’s presentation will also include how he and his colleagues have been trying to treat the disease at its earliest stages, as well as give attendees an update on current clinical trials, emerging treatments and prevention strategies.
“We spend very little time talking about health, vitality, and wellness,” said Galvin. “We spend a lot more time talking about disease and disability. It’s time we did more to help people protect their brains.”
Among the ways that Galvin recommends people can decrease their risk for developing dementia or Alzheimer’s are the following lifestyle tips:
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Remain cognitively active. Reading, doing crossword puzzles, creating art projects, etc. – anything that makes you think and use your brain.
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Maintain an active lifestyle. Every time you exercise, move or do any physical activity, you make new neurological connections in the brain. For Alzheimer’s sufferers, this may slow the disease’s progression.
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Adopt a regular exercise regimen. Your fitness program should include cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. And remember — no matter how long you’ve been sedentary it’s never too late to start.
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Remain socially engaged. We’re social creatures and are biologically wired to be with others. Staying connected to friends, relatives, and loved ones is vital for both short and long-term well-being.
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Eat a heart-healthy diet. Research shows that following a heart-healthy eating plan such as the Mediterranean diet might benefit your brain too. That means consuming lean proteins, fresh vegetables and fruits, and limiting or totally avoiding simple carbohydrates, sugar, fried food and processed food.
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Manage your blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels and limit blood flow to the brain, which does damage to the brain. It also increases the risk of having a stroke, which can also damage the brain.
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Prevent or manage diabetes. When type 2 diabetes is not managed, important organs — like the brain — can be damaged by too much sugar in the bloodstream.
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If you suffer hearing loss, get it corrected. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control notes that hearing loss is an important risk factor for developing dementia. Experts believe that suffering from hearing loss may make the brain work harder at the expense of thinking and memory. What’s more, hearing loss also often leads older people to be less socially engaged — which, of course, is another risk factor.
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Don’t drink or smoke. And if you do drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes, cut back as much as you can. Both of these habits contribute to high blood pressure, decreased circulation, and increased risk for eventual cognitive decline.
‘Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders: Strategies for Interpreting and Addressing Behaviors’
Dr. Karen Gilbert
Behaviors often are forms of communication among individuals living with dementia-related illnesses, especially as the disease progresses and language and memory decline. When they can no longer express needs or feelings clearly with words, they may communicate through actions, body language, or emotional outbursts.
Blake Davis
Dr. Karen L. Gilbert and Blake Davis, both of whom work for Alzheimer’s Community Care, will address how behaviors become forms of communication and how caregivers can interpret and best address challenging situations with the person for whom they are caring.
‘The Road to Better Treatment: A Caregiver’s Guide to Clinical Trials’
Clinical trials test new ways to detect, prevent, treat, or manage Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related illnesses. New treatments and medications are not possible without first completing the clinical trial process, so psychiatrist Dr. Jeremy Koppel, who is co-director of Northwell’s Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer’s Disease, will explain the basics of clinical trials, how people can participate, and factors to consider before deciding to enroll in a clinical trial.
Psychiatrist Dr. Jeremy Koppel
To register for the free Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference visit alzfdn.org/tour.
If you go
What: Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference.
When: 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. Nov. 19
Where: Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center, 5150 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton
Admission: free
Info: alzfdn.org/tour
Steve Dorfman is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. He writes about all aspects of health, fitness and wellness. If you have news tips, please send them to [email protected]. Help support our local journalism, subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational conference Nov. 19 in Boca Raton
