The costs of Alzheimer’s are mounting as more people contract this disease and more caregivers must take time from work or even early retirement.  These costs can involve:
*Medical expenses
*Home health care
*Nursing home residencies
*Lost work time and wages
*Sitters and/or day care
*Caregiver’s out-of-pocket expenses to support the family member
*The unmeasurable cost of stress on families
In California, these factors are being recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association California Central Coast Chapter with the formation of In Good Company.  An article, Combating the costs of Alzheimer’s, in the Ventura County Star, by Jenni Mintz, explains what is being done through this newly formed nonprofit organization.
Launched a few …read more

Recently I posted 8 fire emergency or safety tips passed along by AGIS.com for aging or Alzheimer’s patients.   With the California fires and other natural disasters in our minds, we realize the importance of being prepared.
The Alzheimer’s Association also has posted some Disaster Preparedness Tips that it would be good to be knowledgeable about.   They go into:
*Advance preparedness…measures to take.
*If you know a pending disaster is about to occur…what you should do.
*Emergency Kits and what to include in them
You may want to check out this information as well as the fire safety tips.

Make plans to recognize, in some way, National Alzhemer’s Day, this coming Friday, September 21.  Many people are helping to raise Alzheimer’s awareness and funds for research.
Check out these sources for more information:
* ActionAlz.org
*Alzheimer’s Daily News
*Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walks

The Alzheimer’s Association’s largest fundraising event is the Memory Walk. Since 1989 when the Memory Walk was launched, it has raised over $200 million to help those battling Alzheimer’s Disease.
People choose to walk for different reasons. But the three main ones appear to be to honor someone you love, to raise public awareness, and to help make a difference for people with Alzheimer’s Disease by raising money.
You can walk as an individual or set up a corporate or family team. If you don’t want to walk or prehaps, cannot walk, there are other ways of participating. There is always a …read more

The CBS Evening News (20 March, 2007 6.30 pm ET) will be looking at a new report released today by the Alzheimer’s Association that indicated that there has been a 10% increase in people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in the past 5 years. Read their blog post and see the pre video…

Patricia Lombreglia urges us to take a look at the candidates we’ll be voting for this Election Day and see which ones will be a voice for Alzheimer’s.  She is President and CEO of the Greater New Jersey Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Recently Ms. Lombreglia wrote a letter-to-the-editor of the Daily Record.  Check for more information in the October 23 edition of Alzheimer’s Daily News, for reference to this letter (http://alznews.org )