MUST READS

A May 20, 2015 The New York Times article reported that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush revealed that his mother-in-law has Alzheimer’s. According to the article, “At an event in Portsmouth, N.H. on Wednesday, Jeb Bush raised his hand, acknowledging that he too had a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. But after a house party in the evening, Mr. Bush elaborated for whom he was raising his hand. “My mother-in-law has dementia and she’s 94 years old,” he told reporters as he prepared to leave the event. “She’s a gift from God; she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.” He added, “It’s not uncommon, I mean this is a huge problem.”…At the earlier event in Portsmouth, a business round table, Mr. Bush spoke about the challenges of entitlement reform, including issues facing older adults, saying that “there’s one place where we have significantly underfunded, and that is Alzheimer’s.” He raised his hand first so as not to pry when he asked if others in the room knew someone with the disease. After he spoke about it, he offered a personal plea, saying, “My email address is [email protected] if you have any ideas about it.”” Also reported on byThe Washington Post. 

A May 20, 2015 The Roll Call opinion piece by Steven Knapp and Rush Holt called on Congress to roll back the sequester to bolster science and innovation. According to the authors, “Such efforts require long-term investments that may be too risky for the private sector; industry supports only about 6 percent of all U.S. R&D at universities. Nixon recognized the importance of federal funding for academic research in the 1970s, and today his “War on Cancer” is paying off. By comparison, researchers are still trying to unravel the basic biological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease, which is likely to generate $1.2 trillion in total public and private costs by 2050. Policymakers face increasingly difficult funding decisions. In considering 2016 budget options, we would urge them to roll back sequestration, to provide adequate support for future medical advances and U.S. innovation.” Steven Knapp is president of George Washington University. Former Rep. Rush D. Holt is chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and executive publisher of the Science family of journals.

POLITICS AND POLICY 

A May 20, 2015 The Hill article reported that “The House passed legislationon Wednesday to reauthorize $33 billion for federal scientific research programs.” According to the article, “Democrats charged that the GOP was underfunding necessary research programs in a manner that would undermine efforts to increase American scientific competitiveness. The measure would, among other provisions, cut NSF's funding for social behavior and economic sciences research by 55 percent compared to current enacted spending levels. "You could argue that this is not an investment in the 21st century at all. It's a throwback bill to the 20th century," said Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.)…Many scientific research associations oppose the bill, including the American Academy of Political and Social Science, American Anthropological Association, American Association of Physics Teachers, Association of American Universities, Geological Society of America and Union of Concerned Scientists.”

NEWS YOU CAN USE 

A May 21, 2015 Fox Business article highlighted financial topics that should be discussed with loved ones facing Alzheimer’s. According to the article, “Given these statistics, many of America's baby boomers will spend their retirement years either suffering from Alzheimer's or caring for someone who has it. Declining financial skills may be among the first symptoms to appear in the early stages of the disease.  As a result, caregivers are more likely to manage the finances of family members living with dementia. “Most of us haven’t considered that one of our parents—or even a spouse—may need help with financial planning while experiencing cognitive decline,” said Dave Paulsen, president of Transamerica Distributors. Transamerica recently released The Caregiver’s Guide to Financial Planning in the Shadow of Dementia, in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) AgeLab. “This guide explains financial concepts that caregivers should understand, and it helps prepare them for the critical conversations they must have with their loved one’s financial advisor.” Paulsen offered the following advice to help caregivers navigate financial decisions on behalf of family members living with Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia.”

REGIONAL  

Must Watch: A May 20, 2015 KCRG broadcast segment highlighted one Iowa family’s daily battle with Alzheimer’s.  According to the accompanying article, about 63,000 Iowans have been officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's. 

RESEARCH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY 

A May 20, 2015 Bioscience Technology article reported that “Researchers at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have developed a new technology that turns a smartphone into a DNA-scanning fluorescent microscope.” According to the article, “The new optical attachment, which includes a lens, filter, mount and laser diode in a 3D-printed case, can image and size DNA molecules 50,000 times thinner than a human hair. Scientists see the technology being used in remote laboratory settings to diagnose cancers and central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer’s, and to detect drug resistance in infectious diseases.”