Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

 
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What will be the greatest neurological threats by the year 2050?

Check out this TED Talk on "The coming neurological epidemic" (2) - (3m)

How can communities prepare for rising dementia rates and support those most affected by it? 

Check out NPR's "Japanese City Takes Community Approach To Dealing With Dementia." (3) - (5m)

Can people everywhere help to end Alzheimer's Disease?

Watch TED Institute's "Alzheimer's Disease is not normal aging -- and we can cure it." (4) - (7m)

 

Geographies of Interest

Washington Heights and Inwood, NYC

Did you know that Alzheimer's Disease is the fourth Leading Cause of Death among residents of Washington Heights and Inwood, but the eleventh across all of NYC? (7)

 

Why do you think that is?

 

If I am interested in this topic, where can I learn more?

Listen to this podcast from The Atlantic on "The High Stakes Allure of Anti-Alzheimer's Diet" (9) - (43min)

This recording explores the ties between diet and Alzheimer's prevention, citing a two-year $20 million study as a possible source for answers.

Read NY Times article "The Diagnosis Is Alzheimer's. But That's Not The Only Problem" (10)

This piece explores how the various neurological impairments that accompany dementia have begun to drive new approaches to treatment.

Learn from the CDC's training module "A Public Health Approach to Alzheimer's and Other Dementias"  (11)

This presentation provides an overview of the Alzheimer's epidemic, its disparities, burdens to the health care system and the role of public health in addressing it.

Reflect on Vox essay, "I thought I could fix my Alzheimer's patients. I learned to help them instead." (12)

This narrative traces the experience of a nursing home care provider, who learns to help Alzheimer's patients with compassion, despite being unable to cure them.

Check out this report on Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease from the Global Council on Brain Health: "Brain Food: GCBH Recommendations on Nourishing Your Brain Health." (13)

These recommendations address questions of brain health and nutrition. The GCBH draws its findings from evidence across multiple disciplines of medicine and science.

 

Sources

1.      UCLA Newroom. Sounding the alarm on a future epidemic: Alzheimer's Disease. (2016, Jan. 05). Retrieved on Sept. 17, 2019 from: http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/sounding-the-alarm-on-a-future-epidemic:-alzheimer-s-disease

2.      Petsko G. The coming neurological epidemic. (2008, Feb). Retrieved on Sept. 17, 2019 from: https://www.ted.com/talks/gregory_petsko_on_the_coming_neurological_epidemic?language=en

3.      Jaffe I. Japanese City Takes Community Approach To Dealing With Dementia. (2016, Aug. 23). Retrieved on Sept. 20, 2019 from: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/08/23/489629931/japan-offers-dementia-awareness-courses-to-city-workers

4.      Cohen S. Alzheimer's is not normal aging -- and we can cure it. (2015, June). Retrieved on Sept. 12, 2019 from: https://www.ted.com/talks/samuel_cohen_alzheimer_s_is_not_normal_aging_and_we_can_cure_it

5.      Block M. Firearms and Dementia: How Do You Convince A Loved One To Give Up Their Guns? (2018, Nov. 13). Retrieved on Sept. 10, 2019 from: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/11/13/660052285/firearms-and-dementia-how-do-you-convince-a-loved-one-to-give-up-their-guns

6.      Hersher R. More Than Memory: Coping With The Other Ills of Alzheimer's. (2017, June 24). Retrieved on Sept. 20, 2019 from: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/06/24/525887392/more-than-memory-coping-with-the-other-ills-of-alzheimers

7.      NYC Community Health Profiles 2015, Manhattan Community District 12: Washington Heights and Inwood; 2015; 12(59):1-16.

8.      Hansen J. Alzheimer's disease family caregivers will get telemedicine training. (2016, Nov. 08). Retrieved on Sept. 03, 2019 from: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/news/latest/item/1297-alzheimer-s-disease-family-caregivers-will-get-telemedicine-training

9.      Khazan O. The Startling Link Between Sugar and Alzheimer's. The Atlantic. (2018, Jan. 26). Retrieved on Sept. 03, 2019 from: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/03/can-diet-and-exercise-prevent-alzheimers/584989/

10.  Kolata G. The Diagnosis is Alzheimer's. But That's Not The Only Problem. NY Times. (2019, April 08). Retrieved on Sept. 10, 2019 from: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/health/alzheimers-dementia-stroke.html

11.  Conley N. I thought I could fix my Alzheimer's patients. I learned to help them instead. Vox. (2015, Aug. 24) Retrieved on Sept. 03 from: https://www.vox.com/2015/8/24/9182519/alzheimers-caregiver-nurse

12.  Global Council on Brain Health. Brain Food: GCBH Recommendations on Nourishing Your Brain Health. Retrieved on Sept. 20, 2019 from: https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/health/brain_health/2018/01/gcbh-recommendations-on-nourishing-your-brain-health.doi.10.26419%252Fpia.00019.001.pdf