August 27, 2014

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

5 key planks for a strategic aging policy, Banker White explores how Alzheimer's strengthened his parents' marriage, PhRMA launches new innovation hub, Carnegie Mellon launches BrainHub to concentrate "intellectual horsepower" against brain disease, and the link between mindfulness and Alzheimer's care (read more).
 

 

Must reads and watch

  • An August 26, 2014 The Fiscal Times opinion piece by Michael Hodin highlighted "5 key planks of a strategic aging policy" including a focus on fighting Alzheimer's. According to Hodin, "Shift health care spending to prevention and wellness initiatives, with a particular focus on age-related non-communicable diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, etc. Then leverage health policy to promote activity, engagement, and economic value."
  • An August 25, 2014 The New York Times article featured a documentary by filmmaker Banker White that "explores how Alzheimer’s disease has revealed the strength of his parents’ marriage."
Research, science, and technology 
  • An August 26, 2014 Pharmaceutical Processing article reported that "PhRMA launched a new Innovation Hub to showcase the latest data and research on innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry." According to the article, "The new Innovation Hub, accessible via www.Innovation.org, provides easy access to PhRMA resources related to the R&D process, the biopharmaceutical pipeline, and progress fighting diseases such as hepatitis C, Alzheimer’s, leukemia, cancer, and HIV/AIDS." 
  • An August 26, 2014 Pittsburg Post-Gazette article reported that Carnegie Mellon University launched BrainHub, "a public-private research collaboration based at the university and involving the University of Pittsburgh and several universities worldwide." According to the article, "Through BrainHub, CMU will devote considerable “intellectual horsepower” to the challenge of unlocking the secrets of brain circuitry and function, which should help explain brain diseases and disorders. BrainHub has commitments for $75 million in funding over five years from sources that include the Hillman Foundation, Mr. Suresh said…Alcohol and addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, autism spectrum disorders, dementia and Parkinson’s disease, among others, already exact a $1.1 trillion annual toll for health care and other costs in the United States. One in two people 85 or older stand to get Alzheimer’s disease."
  • An August 26, 2014 WCAI NPR audio segment featured interviews with journalist and Alzheimer's sufferer Greg O'Brien and researcher Rudy Tanzi. 
Caregiving
  • An August 27, 2014 CBS News article reported on the impact of "mindfulness" on caregivers and Alzheimer's patients. According to the article, "Alzheimer's disease takes a psychological and physical toll not only on the affected patients, but also on their caregivers. Now, a new study has shown that training in mindfulness -- learning how to focus on the present moment -- may help improve the emotional well-being of people with early-stage dementia due to Alzheimer's and their caregivers…One of the benefits of mindfulness training is that it helps both the patient and the caregiver accept new ways of communicating, the researchers said."