My New Year’s “Wish List” for a National Alzheimer’s Agenda

As a caregiver for my wife, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in 2009 at the age of 63, here’s my brief “wish list” for a national Alzheimer’s agenda. Funding changes: First and foremost, our leaders in Congress must make Alzheimer’s a priority in the FY2014 budget by increasing funding for treatment and NIH research. Beyond that, the government must also provide funding for states to disburse to local research labs working on neurodegenerative diseases. Funding should also subsidize clinical trials for potentially new AD medications, but medication labels must note that medication was proven effective only for the number of

Making the Holidays Bright When Alzheimer's Is in the Picture

Editor's note: this piece originally appeared on The Huffington Post The one constant about life is that it is always changing. This dynamic is particularly acute around the holidays. USAgainstAlzheimer's recently asked some of our supporters, who are on the front lines and live this disease every day, for advice on how to tackle this challenging time and create new memories. Here's what they told us: 1. "Keep your expectations reasonable. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Holidays won't ever be the way they used to be and every year will be different. But that doesn't mean

Alzheimer's Summit: Some Rare Good News

Editor's note: this blog post originally appeared on Huffington Post 50 It's been a tough couple of months for American healthcare. The sequester - blunt and arbitrary policy that it is - has paralyzed funding for basic medical research. And the launch of the Affordable Care Act has been, depending on your political persuasion, anything from a technical start-up glitch to a predictable debacle. Indeed, the road to improving medicine and healthcare in the latter half of 2013 has been filled with bumps and potholes. Yet, behind the noise, there are signals that a unified effort is arising to tackle

Creating a “Life Celebration” for a Person with Dementia

Even with advanced dementia, my mother could feel moments of joy. I will always feel grateful that we gathered to celebrate her life not after she passed away, but while she was alive and could enjoy being the center of attention. My mother, Judy, told me years ago that when she passed away she wanted me to cremate her and to hold a “life celebration,” not a funeral—a party with family and friends. She pictured us at her lakeside home, reminiscing and laughing. We would spread her ashes on the waves, then talk and eat. As Mom’s dementia progressed, I

The NFL and Alzheimer's - Go Purple

Some of the most watched TV programs each year are NFL games and such large audiences give the NFL a tremendous opportunity to use its broadcasts for public service. To their credit, since 2009 the NFL has used October broadcasts to support breast cancer awareness and help raise money for research. Football players show their support by wearing pink on their uniforms and using pink equipment . Having lost my mother to cancer, and with relatives currently dealing with cancer, I applaud this NFL leadership role and enjoy seeing lots of pink on my TV screen this month. Another opportunity