ADFM National Alzheimer's Caregivers Support Network Malaysia

8 & 9 SEPT18 - ADFM Memory Walk and Commemoration of World Alzheimer's Month at Atria Shopping Gallery

2018-08-27T08:55:00.001+08:00

SEPTEMBER IS WORLD ALZHEIMER’S MONTH

8 & 9 SEPTEMBER 2018

ATRIA SHOPPING GALLERY

(Ground Floor, Centre Court, Damansara Jaya)

This year the World Alzheimer’s Month will be celebrated in Malaysia on Saturday, 8 September & Sunday, 9 September 2018. We have lined up presentations, forums and demos by local and foreign experts. Look out for more details in the forthcoming announcements.

Register Now

Come and join in a fun-filled leisure walk and at the same time be part of an exciting record-breaking Senam Ceria, a group healthy lifestyle exercise in Malaysia. This will take place at the Atria Shopping Gallery on Saturday, 8 September 2018. To secure your participation, complete the Registration Form attached. Registration fee is RM30 per person. You will receive an exclusive World Alzheimer’s Month T-shirt and a bag of mementoes to remind you of your involvement in the historic event.

You may submit your payment and registration form at Rumah Alzheimer’s Daycare Centre or at the Atria ADFM Community Corner (AACC). Rumah Alzheimer’s Daycare Centre is located at No. 6, Lorong 11/8E, Seksyen 11, Petaling Jaya and is open Mondays – Fridays from 9am to 5pm. The AACC is located at Lot T03 on the Third Floor, Atria Shopping Gallery (two doors from Daiso). The AACC is open daily from 11am to 7pm.

We look forward to seeing you at our World Alzheimer's Month celebration.

PROGRAMME– 8 & 9 SEPTEMBER

SATURDAY, 8 EPTEMBER 2018 CENTRE COURT, GROUND FLOOR, ATRIA SHOPPING GALLERY`
10.30am	Registration (media and invited guests)
11:00am	Welcome Speech by Datuk Dr Yim, Chairman of ADFM ExCo
11:05am	Speech by Ms Caroline Wong, CEO OSK Property Berhad
11:10am	Speech by Dato Amiruddin Satar, President and MD, KPJ Healthcare Bhd
11.15am	Speech by Ms DY Suharya, Regional Director, Asia Pacific Region, ADI
11:20am	Key Note Address by Guest of Honour, YB Dr Lee Boon Chye, Deputy Minister of Health, Malaysia (TBC)
11.30am	Presentation of Appreciation to MOH and KPJ by ADFM Patron, Puan Sri Wendy Ong
	Cake-Cutting - 21st anniversary ADFM - 1st Anniversary of Atria-ADFM Community Corner (AACC) – A pilot dementia-friendly community corner in Malaysia, First in Asia Pacific and in the Commonwealth
11:35am	Launch of World Alzheimer’s Month 2018 with a ‘Senam Ceria’ warm-up exercise To be led by GOH, ADFM Patron, VIPs, invited guests and participants of the Malaysia Book of Records (then proceed to START line for the MEMORY WALK)
11:50am	Flag-off of MEMORY WALK of 3.5 km (The Memory Walk will end at Atria Community Centre at 3rd Floor and distribution of anniversary cake and goody bags to participants)
12:45pm	LUNCH
02.30pm	Talk “Benefits from SOCSO” (in Bahasa Malaysia) by Mr. Rajasegaran AL Murali Daran, SOCSO Executive Officer
03.30pm	Talk “Rehabilitation for People Living with Dementia” by Dr Saini Jeffrey Freddy Abdullah, Rehabilitation Medicine Consultant, KPJ Tawakal Healthcare Centre
04.30pm	Topic (TBC) By Dr Dev Teo, Resident Consultant Physician & Geriatrician, KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital
05.30pm	Drum Circle (DC) for Wellness (Mental Health)
06.00pm	End Day 1
CONCURRENT SESSIONS IN THE AACC Atria-ADFM Community Centre, Level 3
02:30pm	Caregivers Forum Moderators: DY Suharya, Regional Director, ADI APRO Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar, UM Dr Leela Koran, UM Datin Jacqueline Wong, ADFM
04.00pm	“Brain Games” for Dementia Persons and Caregivers by Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar, Neurogeneticist, UM
05.00pm	"Senam Ceria" Demonstration and Lessons
06.00pm	End Day 1
SUNDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER Ground Floor, Centre Court, Atria Shopping Gallery
11:00am	Cognitive Exercises, Chair Aerobics and Terebent Demonstration by Ministry of Health (MOH)
12.00pm	Demonstration "Senam Ceria” by Alzheimer’s Indonesia
02:30pm	Talk "A Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease – Fact or Myth?" by Ms. Lily Fu, Gerontologist, Founder of Seniors-Aloud
03.30pm	Talk “Dementia – Treatment & Prevention” by Dr Chan Yee Fai, Consultant Psycho-Geriatrician, KPJ Healthcare Group
04:30pm	Demonstration "Fitness for Seniors" by ACG Concept & Aged Care Group
05.30pm	Performance by Clap and Tap Children Orchestra Malaysia
06:00pm	End
CONCURRENT SESSIONS IN THE AACC Atria-ADFM Community Centre, Level 3
10:30am	Weekly Elderly Yoga Session by Certified Yoga Instructor, Ms Stephanie Kuan, assisted by Ms Shirley Low and volunteers
02:30pm	Talk “Person Centred Approach to Dementia Care” by Dr Lee Fatt Soon, Consultant Physician and Geriatrician
03:30pm	Silver Surfing: Basic Smartphone Functions & Using Apps for Emergencies (in Mandarin) by ACG Concept & Aged Care Group
04:30pm	Mandarin Talk “Communication with Alzheimer’s Persons” by Consultant Geriatrician, Prof. Dr Tan Maw Pin, UM
05:30pm	End ______________________________________________________________________ PUBLIC AWARENESS AT EXHIBITION BOOTHS (FOR DAY 1 & DAY 2) 1. HEALTH & WELLNESS ROADSHOW by Ministry of Health (MOH) • BPKK Booth - Occupational Therapy & Rehabilitative services; Mental Cognitive Games and Health Education Materials for the Elderly. • BKP Booth – Counselling Services; Teaching Relaxation Techniques; Screening for Depression, Anxiety and Stress (this will be set-up at AACC) 2. FREE HEALTH SCREENING by KPJ Healthcare Eye checks, Diabetic and Health Screening, and SLC 3. MEMORY TEST by UMMC Geriatric Team 4. ABOUT DEMENTIA, ADI and ADFM – Exhibition and Pull-up Banners

SAT/4AUG18 ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre: Monthly Caregivers Sharing, Yoga and Talk

2018-07-27T07:00:00.000+08:00

The Monthly Talk and Caregivers Sharing Session in August at the ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre will be held on:

Date: 4 August 2018 (Saturday)

Venue: ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre, No. 6, Lorong 11/8E, Seksyen 11, 46200 Petaling Jaya

Programs:

(1) 11.00am to 12.30pm – Caregivers Sharing Session

“Coping with Wandering”

The sharing session will be facilitated by Ms Satiapoorany, ADFM DCS Trainer and retired Nurse Educator.

(2) 12.30pm to 1.15pm - “Rejuvenating Chair Yoga”

Chair Yoga is a great routine for loosening and strengthening the legs, the back, shoulders and neck, especially for seniors. It is very gentle and perfect for those with limited mobility. You will have fun with physical exercises and breathing techniques both the body and the mind.

(3) 1.15pm to 2.00pm - Refreshments

(4) 2.00pm to 4.00pm - “Up Up and Away / Taking a Trip”

Speaker, Dr Bharathi Vengadasalam is a Consultant Psychiatrist (Geriatric Psychiatrist) with the Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

Many people enjoy travel for recreation, relaxation or a new experience. Those who enjoy travelling, include caregivers of persons with dementia. Travel can pose special problems for persons with dementia (PWD) … hence it can be a challenge for the PWD and the caregiver. In this session, Dr Bharathi will discuss and share with you some points in decision-making, issues and assistance when planning for travel with PWD.

REGISTRATION:

FREE Admission – Compulsory registration is required for our logistic purposes.

Please Email to: jenny@adfm.org.my and copy: jennyho8@gmail.com or whatsapp 016 608 2513.

Kind regards,

Jenny

ADFM National Caregivers Support Network: http://admalaysia.ning.com

Web: www.adfm.org.my

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adfmpj/

ADFM National Caregivers Support Network is an online community platform for caregivers to seek support, information, advice, and share their caregiving challenges and experiences with other caregivers.

SAT/21 JULY18 : Monthly Caregivers Sharing Session, Yoga Exercise and Workshop on "Digital Storytelling"

2018-07-18T19:24:00.002+08:00

To: Family Caregivers

The following programs have been scheduled for the Monthly Talk and Caregivers Sharing Session on 21 July 2018 at the ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre.

Date: 21 July 2018 (Saturday)

Venue: ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre, No. 6, Lorong 11/8E, Seksyen 11, 46200 Petaling Jaya

Programs:

(1) 11.00am to 12.30pm – Caregivers Sharing Session

“I want to enjoy my time – Activities for Alzheimer’s Clients”

The sharing session will be facilitated by Ms Satiapoorany, ADFM DCS Trainer and retired Nurse Educator.

(2) 12.30pm to 1.15pm - “Rejuvenating Chair Yoga” Exercise

(3) 1.15pm to 2.00pm - Refreshments

(4) 2.00pm to 4.00pm - “Digital Storytelling Workshop”

Strictly for Family Caregivers and ADFM Volunteers – 20 participants only

This workshop will be conducted by Ms Lily Fu (and her team) who is a caregiver to her Alzheimer’s Mom, Founder of Seniors-Aloud, Blogger, and Gerontologist.

(Note: For details, please whatsapp: 016 608 2513.)

REGISTRATION:

FREE Admission – Compulsory registration is required for our logistic purposes.

Please Email to: jenny@adfm.org.my and copy: jennyho8@gmail.com or whatsapp 016 608 2513.

Kind regards,

Jenny

ADFM National Caregivers Support Network: http://admalaysia.ning.com

Web: www.adfm.org.my

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adfmpj/

WORLD ALZHEIMER’S MONTH (WAM) 2018 – 8 & 9 SEPTEMBER AT ATRIA SHOPPING GALLERY

2018-07-13T02:36:00.001+08:00

Dear All,

ADFM with the Ministry of Health (MOH) is commemorating World Alzheimer's Month under the Theme "Every 3 Second - Someone Develops Dementia" on 8 and 9 September at Atria Shopping Gallery, Damansara Jaya - complete with awareness talks, caregivers forum, a performance by the Clap and Tap Children Orchestra Malaysia, Drum Circle for Wellness, Free Health Screenings, and a Memory Walk. A detailed Program will be announced soon. We are counting on you to join us, no matter your age or ability and capability, to help advance the awareness, care and support for people living with Alzheimer's, Dementia & their caregivers and families – SAVE THE DATE.

Sharing with you herewith is the Advance New Release from Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI):

Women contribute over 58 billion hours globally per year to caring for people with dementia, yet receive no wage.

Alzheimer’s Disease International & Karolinska Institutet report shows disproportionate number of women are tasked with the role of informal dementia carer in households globally:

· Women contribute 71% of informal dementia care hours

· Informal dementia care provided is equivalent to 40 million full time workers

· Every three seconds someone in the world develops dementia

· Dementia became a trillion-dollar disease in 2018

· Employers and labour laws need to adapt to increasing numbers of employees with a care giving role

London, 4 July 2018 – Women continue to be disproportionately affected by dementia as they provide 71% of informal dementia care hours globally, according to a report out today from Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) and the Karolinska Institutet.

The ADI report, Global estimates of informal care, from lead author Anders Anders Wimo of the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, revealed that the annual global number of informal care hours provided to people with dementia living at home was about 82 billion hours. Women contribute 58 billion (71%) of these hours, highlighting the continued disproportionate gender impact of dementia.

Paola Barbarino, CEO of ADI, says, “This report reveals not only the huge cost to society of providing informal care but the disproportionate impact of dementia on women; as women provide a substantial proportion of informal care. Because of this, women are more likely to reduce their work hours to part time, interrupt careers, or stop work completely, to be able to provide care to someone living with dementia.

“Not only is there a gender imbalance in informal dementia care, but more women live with dementia than men, the prevalence is higher for women than for men; women are more at risk of developing dementia and the symptoms they live with are often more severe."

“Looking forward, employers and labour laws will need to adapt to increasing numbers of employees with an informal care giving role as the number of people living with dementia increases globally.”

Every three seconds someone develops dementia – yet most people with dementia do not receive a diagnosis or support. Today, almost 50 million people worldwide are living with dementia. As populations continue to age, the prevalence of dementia is expected to increase to 152 million people by 2050.

Cost of care for informal caregivers is undoubtedly a complex area but regardless of how the costs are expressed and calculated, it is obvious that the contribution of informal caregivers is substantial. Most informal caregivers are family members and many caregivers express positive experiences in this situation. However, being an informal caregiver can also be stressful in terms of coping, depression, impact on social networks and work patterns and morbidity.

Anders Wimo, from Karolinska Institutet says, “This report reveals the cost of caring for people with dementia is a substantial, yet people with dementia rely a lot on help from an informal carer who receives no paid wage or salary. The major providers of dementia care are the families of the person living with dementia but with different patterns of care in different parts of the world.”

In ADI’s 2015 World Alzheimer Report, it estimated the global societal economic impact of dementia to be $US818 billion, a figure now (2018) surpassing $US1 trillion per year.

The Global estimates of informal care report presents global estimates of informal care hours, compares the global distribution of caregiver time estimates, with that of costs, and highlights gender patterns in informal caregivers.

ADI chair Glenn Rees says, “It is high time governments around the world gave a higher priority to training, and to flexible respite and home-based services, to better support the invaluable informal work of carers.”

14 & 15 JULY18 Ipoh Perak : Dementia Care SkillsTraining Workshop for Family Carers for Persons with Alheimer's and Dementia

2018-06-26T15:15:00.000+08:00

To: Family Carers for persons with Alzheimer's and Dementia,

Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) jointly with the Perak Dementia Society and supported by KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital, will be conducting the DEMENTIA CARE SKILLS (DCS) Training Workshop for family carers (and their care workers) on:

Date: Saturday,14 July 2018 (9am–5pm), & Sunday, 15 July 2018 (9am–1pm)

Venue: Dewan Anugerah, Level 5, KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital.

Caring for a person with dementia can be very difficult and stressful at times. Dementia not only affects the person living with the condition and the carers but also the entire family. The greatest challenge is on you, the caregiver. With a better understanding of dementia, you can plan for and cope with the challenges that you may encounter in your caregiving journey.

“Dementia Care Skills Training” is a one and half-day interactive training, comprising 4-modules, designed to support you in your caregiving role with essential knowledge and skills to care for the person with dementia, using the Person-Centered Care Approach through sharing of real- life scenarios, group discussions and identify potential strategies for managing caregiver stress.

Learning Objectives:

Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centred Care

• Identify the principles of Person Centered Care (PCC)

• Recognize the impact of dementia on person with dementia, and family caregivers

• Identify your own level of stress and self-care strategies

• Identify community resources available to support family caregivers

Module 2: Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)

• Understanding behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify potential triggers for behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify a range of options for supporting the person with dementia

Module 3: Effective Communication

• Describe the impact of dementia on communication

• Identify strategies for effective communication with a person with dementia, including: Reality orientation, Validation, Reminiscence

Module 4: Purposeful and Meaningful Engagement

• Recognize the value of promoting engagement with life for a person with dementia

• Recognize the value of activity for a person with dementia

• Identify ways of adapting activities to meet individual needs

PROGRAMME

Day 1 Saturday 14 July 18	0830 - 0900 0900 - 1100 1100 - 1115 1115 - 1315 1315 - 1400 1400 - 1600 1600 - 1615 1615 - 1700	Registration Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centered Care Refreshment break Module 2: Behavioural & Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Photo Session Lunch break Module 3 – Effective Communication Tea break Interactive Session Q & A
Day 2 Sunday 15 July 18	0830 - 0900 0900 - 1115 1115 – 1130 1130 - 1300	Registration Module 4 – Purposeful & Meaningful Engagement Refreshment break Module 4 (Cont’d) Interactive Session Q & A Summary

The above training workshop will be conducted by ADFM Team of Dementia Care Skills Trainers, who are retired nursing educators, Ms. Satiapoorany Subramaniam, Ms. Ooi Saw Geok and Ms. Tan Saw Cheang.

Admission Fee: (Day 1) RM 20.00 + (Day 2) RM 10.00

Prior registration Compulsory.

For enquiries & registration:

Dementia Daycare, Ipoh Tel: 05 2411691 (or) Ms. Prema Suria: 019 5446225

Kind regards.

7 & 8 JULY18 ADFM Dementia Care Skills Training Workshop at ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre:

2018-06-26T12:48:00.000+08:00

To: Family Caregivers for persons with Alzheimer's and Dementia

Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) will be conducting the DEMENTIA CARE SKILLS (DCS) Training Workshop for Family Caregivers (and their care workers) on:

Date: Saturday, 7 July 2018 (9.00am – 5.00pm), &

Sunday, 8 July 2018 (9.00am – 1.00pm)

Venue: ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre, No. 6 Lorong 11/8E, Seksyen 11, 46200 Petaling Jaya

Caring for a person with dementia can be very stressful and traumatic at times. Dementia not only affects the person living with the condition, but also the entire family. The greatest challenge is on you, the caregiver. With a better understanding of dementia, you can plan for and cope with the challenges that you may encounter in your caregiving journey.

This one and half-day interactive training comprising 4-modules is designed to support you in your caregiving role with essential knowledge and skills to care for the person with dementia and yourself, using the Person-Centered Care Approach through sharing of real-life scenarios, discussions and identify potential strategies for managing caregiver stress.

Learning Objectives:

Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centred Care

• Identify the principles of Person Centered Care (PCC)

• Recognize the impact of dementia on person with dementia, and family caregivers

• Identify your own level of stress and self-care strategies

• Identify community resources available to support family caregivers

Module 2: Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)

• Understand behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify potential triggers for behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify a range of options for supporting the person with dementia

Module 3: Effective Communication

• Describe the impact of dementia on communication

• Identify strategies for effective communication with a person with dementia, including:

Reality orientation, Validation, Reminiscence

Module 4: Purposeful and Meaningful Engagement

• Recognize the value of promoting engagement with life for a person with dementia

• Recognize the value of activity for a person with dementia

• Identify ways of adapting activities to meet individual needs

PROGRAMME

Day One Saturday 7 July 18	0830-0900 0900-1100 1100-1115 1115-1315 1315-1400 1400-1500 1500-1600 1600-1615 1615-1730	Registration Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centered Care Refreshment break Module 2: Behavioural & Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Lunch Break / Photo Session Module 2 (cont’d) Module 3: Effective Communication Tea break Module 3 (cont’d)
Day Two Sunday 8 July 18	0830-0900 0900-1100 1100-1115 1115-1300	Registration Module 4 – Purposeful & Meaningful Engagement Refreshment break Module 4 (Cont’d) Interactive Session Q & As Summary

The above training will be facilitated by Team Leader, Geriatrician Dr Khor Hui Min and ADFM Team of Trainers.

FREE Admission and Compulsory Registration for logistic purposes. Email: jenny@adfm.org.my / jennyho8@gmail.com or whatsapp 016 608 2513, providing:

(1) Full Name/s

(2) Mobile contact

(3) Email address

(4) Indicate whether family caregiver or care worker, and

(5) To whom you are caring for.

Kind regards,

Jenny

016 608 2513

ADFM National Caregivers Support Network: http://admalaysia.ning.com

Web: www.adfm.org.my

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adfmpj/

30JUN18 & 01JULY18 Johor Bahru: Dementia Care Skills Training for Family Carers

2018-06-26T07:45:00.002+08:00

To: Family Carers for persons with Alzheimer's and Dementia,

Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) jointly with JOBADA (Johor Baharu Alzheimer’s Disease Support Association) will be conducting the DEMENTIA CARE SKILLS (DCS) Training Workshop for family caregivers (and their care workers) on:

Date: Saturday, 30 June 2018 (9.00am – 5.00pm), &

Sunday, 1 July 2018 (9.00am – 1.00pm)

Venue: Johor Bahru Alzheimer’s Disease Support Association (JOBADA), Pusat Alzheimer’s, No. 16 Jalan Sukarela, off Jalan Saksama, Taman Dato’ Onn, Larkin, 80450 Johor Bahru

This 12-hourly of one and half-day interactive training comprising 4-modules is designed to support you in your caregiving role with essential knowledge and skills to care for the person with dementia and yourself, using the Person-Centered Care Approach through sharing of real-life scenarios, discussions and identify potential strategies for managing caregiver stress.

Learning Objectives:

Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centred Care

• Identify the principles of Person Centered Care (PCC)

• Recognize the impact of dementia on person with dementia, and family caregivers

• Identify your own level of stress and self-care strategies

• Identify community resources available to support family caregivers

Module 2: Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)

• Understanding behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify potential triggers for behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify a range of options for supporting the person with dementia

Module 3: Effective Communication

• Describe the impact of dementia on communication

• Identify strategies for effective communication with a person with dementia, including:

Reality orientation, Validation, Reminiscence

Module 4: Purposeful and Meaningful Engagement

• Recognize the value of promoting engagement with life for a person with dementia

• Recognize the value of activity for a person with dementia

• Identify ways of adapting activities to meet individual needs

PROGRAMME

Day One Saturday 30 June 18	0830 - 0900 0900 - 1100 1100 - 1115 1115 - 1315 1315 - 1400 1400 - 1600 1600 - 1615 1615 - 1700	Registration Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centered Care Refreshment break Module 2: Behavioural & Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Photo Session Lunch break Module 3 – Effective Communication Break Interactive Session Q & A
Day Two Sunday 1 July 18	0830 - 0900 0900 - 1115 1115 - 1130 1130 - 1300	Registration Module 4 – Purposeful & Meaningful Engagement Refreshment break Module 4 (Cont’d) Interactive Session Q & A Summary

ADFM Team of Trainers / Facilitators:

(1) Geriatrician, Dr Goh Cheng Beh

(2) Physiotherapist, Mr Edwin Tay

Admission fees: FREE for family caregivers and RM30.00 for Institutions.

For enquiries & registration:

Email: jobadajohor@gmail.com

Tel: 07 2222016 / 0127091277

Providing:

(1) Full name/s

(2) Mobil contact

(3) Email address

(4) Indicate whether family caregiver or care worker, and

(5) To whom you are caring for.

Best regards.

82-Year-Old Woman With Dementia Gets Her Memory Back After Changing Her Diet

2018-06-08T20:07:00.000+08:00

Recently, an 82-year-old woman who suffered from dementia, who couldn’t recognize her own son has miraculously got her memory back after changing her diet.

When his mother’s condition became so severe that for her own safety she had to be kept in the hospital, Mark Hatzer almost came to terms with losing another parent.

Sylvia had lost her memory and parts of her mind, she had even phoned the police once accusing the nurse who were caring for her of kidnap.

A change in diet, which was comprised of high amounts of blueberries and walnuts, has proven to have had a strong impact on Sylvia’s condition that her recipes are now being shared by the Alzheimer’s Society.

Sylvia Hatzer

Sylvia also began incorporating other health foods, including broccoli, kale, spinach, sunflower seeds, green tea, oats, sweet potatoes and even dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa. All of these foods are known to be beneficial for brain health.

Mark and Sylvia devised to diet together after deciding that the medication on its own was not enough, they looked into the research showing that rates of dementia are much lower in Mediterranean countries and copied a lot of their eating habits.

Mark, whose brother Brent also died in 1977, said: “When my mum was in hospital she thought it was a hotel – but the worst one she had ever been in."

“She didn’t recognise me and phoned the police as she thought she’d been kidnapped.”

“Since my dad and brother died we have always been a very close little family unit, just me and my mum, so for her to not know who I was, was devastating.”

“We were a double act that went everywhere together. I despaired and never felt so alone as I had no other family to turn to.”

“Overnight we went from a happy family to one in crisis.”

“When she left hospital, instead of prescribed medication we thought we’d perhaps try alternative treatment.”

“In certain countries Alzheimer’s is virtually unheard of because of their diet.”

“Everyone knows about fish but there are also blueberries, strawberries, Brazil nuts and walnuts – these are apparently shaped like a brain to give us a sign that they are good for the brain.”

There were also some cognitive exercises that Mark and his mother would do together like jigsaw puzzles, crosswords and meeting people in social situations. Sylvia would also exercise by using a pedalling device outfitted for her chair.

Mark said, “It wasn’t an overnight miracle, but after a couple of months she began remembering things like birthdays and was becoming her old self again, more alert, more engaged.”

“People think that once you get a diagnosis your life is at an end. You will have good and bad days, but it doesn’t have to be the end. For an 82-year-old she does very well, she looks 10 years younger and if you met her you would not know she had gone through all of this.”

“She had to have help with all sorts of things, now she is turning it round. We are living to the older age in this country, but we are not necessarily living healthier.”

This story just goes to show how resilient our bodies really are if given the right environment. Most of these types of diseases are often related to diet in the first place so that means that they can indeed be reversed with a proper diet. Sure, some of them are genetic and you might be a carrier of the gene, but that is not a guarantee that it will become active, there are things you can do to minimize the risk. Our health is our greatest wealth. We have to realize that we do have a say in our lives and what our fate is.

(Source: https://peoplestrusttoronto.wordpress.com/2018/04/27/82-year-old-woman-with-dementia-gets-her-memory-back-after-changing-her-diet/)

SAT / 2JUNE18, ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre: Monthly Talk & Caregivers Sharing Session and Yoga Exercise

2018-05-28T10:23:00.000+08:00

ADFM MONTHLY TALK AND CAREGIVERS SHARING SESSION

SATURDAY, 2 JUNE 2018 - 12.30PM TO 4.00PM

ADFM PJ DAY DAY-CARE CENTRE

NO 6, LORONG 11/8E, SEKSYEN 11, PETALING JAYA

Programme:

Time:

12.30 to 1.30pm - “Rejuvenating Chair Yoga”

Monthly Yoga Exercise by Certified International Yoga Instructor, Ms Ashlynn Williams who has been practicing Yoga for more than 8 years. Chair Yoga is a great routine for loosening and strengthening the legs, the back, shoulders and neck, especially for seniors. It is very gentle and perfect for those with limited mobility. You will have fun with physical exercises and breathing techniques both the body and the mind.

1.30pm to 2.00pm - Refreshments

2.00pm to 4.30pm - Monthly Talk and Caregivers Sharing Session on

“Technology Innovation in Dementia care”

Caring for persons with Alzheimer’s and Dementia are overwhelming for both those living with the disease and their caregivers.

Time has yet to find a cure for it, so, innovative technology in Dementia care tailored to the specific needs of Alzheimer’s persons can help ease the caregiving burden and improve the quality of life for everyone involved - whether it is for engaging a loved one with Alzheimer’s, managing behaviours non-pharmacologically, creating a safer environment, or monitoring from a distance.

Our Facilitator, Sara Thomas is a caregiver to her elderly mother-in-law living with Alzheimer’s. Her Mom who has Vascular Dementia passed away in 2016. Sara will share her experiences to the extent in adapting technology innovations which can support persons living with Dementia and their caregivers at different stages of caregiving.

Sara Thomas is a lecturer in Business subjects at University Technology MARA, Metropolitan College and INTI College for 29 years. Subsequently she joined Monash University Malaysia, Sunway as a Sessional Teaching staff. She also works with Associate Professor Dr Teh Pei Lee in gerontechnology research at Monash University. For the past 24 years she has been a caregiver for family members with Dementia.

REGISTRATION:

FREE Admission - Prior registration is required for our logistic purposes. Please Email

to: jenny@adfm.org.my and copy: jennyho8@gmail.com or whatsapp 016 608 2513.

ADFM National Caregivers Support Network: http://admalaysia.ning.com

Web: www.adfm.org.my

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adfmpj/

Chinese courier takes elderly Alzheimer's mother on rounds with him because she cannot be left alone

2018-04-22T06:31:00.000+08:00

A courier in southwest China has been taking his elderly mother along with him on his rounds for the past seven years to ensure she is looked after at all times.

Cai Yujun, 52, has modified his electric bike to ensure that his 92-year-old mother Yang Suxiu has a more comfortable seat on the back.

He also uses a couple of ropes to secure her to the frame as he makes deliveries to computer shops in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.

Yang was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s seven years ago and can longer take care of herself, according to the news website report.

“Mother has laboured her whole life for our family. So, no matter how hard life is, I cannot shirk my responsibility for taking care of her,” Cai told the website.

The pair have traveled to every corner of the city together, and the report said Cai always holds his mother’s hand when delivering products to prevent her from getting lost.

Cai’s colleagues and friends have also helped out by keeping an eye on her when she cannot follow her son into some of the buildings he visits.

“Many friends like to chat and joke with her,” Cai added.

(Source: South China Morning Post, 18 April 2018)

STUDY FINDS TREATING DEPRESSION LOWERS ALZHEIMER’S RISK

2018-04-14T07:40:00.000+08:00

There is no one reason why some people get Alzheimer’s and others do not. Most scientists point to genetics and lifestyle as the main factors, but there are many subcategories within those factors that all play a part in overall risk: education level, sex, obesity, whether or not someone is a smoker or has high blood pressure, and age itself, among others. Some of these, like smoking, can be controlled; others, like genetics, are just the luck of the draw.

And then there’s depression, which a large body of research points to as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s. Older adults with depression have been identified as twice as likely to develop dementia, and 65 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. People cannot control whether or not they’ll get depression, but they can treat it, which a new study says can help prevent how it affects Alzheimer’s risk.

According to a new study from Boston University School of Medicine, getting evaluated and treated for depression can improve or maintain cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment (M.C.I.), which is considered to be the first stage of Alzheimer’s by most researchers. People with M.C.I. can still function in their day-to-day life, but tasks like paying bills or grocery shopping are noticeably harder.

Researchers looked at data from over 6,700 people with an average age of 72. The participants were evaluated at the beginning of the study for cognitive ability, then followed for two to 12 years.

While results showed that people who started as normal were more likely to progress to M.C.I. if they had depression, anxiety or other mood symptoms, one-third of those who had M.C.I. were able to go back to normal cognition, and those who reverted back had a reduction in depressive symptoms.

Researchers highlighted that successfully identifying and providing effective treatment for these neuropsychiatric symptoms, including depression, may potentially improve or maintain cognitive functioning in many older adults.

Researchers still don’t know if late-life depression causes dementia or contributes to it, or if it’s the other way around—those who are pre-symptomatic may experience depression as a result of changes in the brain that will lead to dementia.

It is highlighted that there are many possible explanations for these findings and further research is needed to address this important issue.

(Source: Being Patient, 11 April 2018 – This study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.)

SAT / 21APR18 ADFM Monthly Caregivers Sharing Session on Coping with Behaviour Challenges and Yoga Exercise Session

2018-04-11T19:56:00.000+08:00

To: Caregivers for persons with Alzheimer and dementia

Below is the programme for the monthly caregivers sharing session to be held on 21 April 2018 at the ADFM Day-Care Centre at No. 6, Lorong 11/8E, Seksyen 11, 46200 Petaling Jaya.

SATURDAY, 21 APRIL 2018
12.30pm - 1.30pm	“Rejuvenating Chair Yoga” Monthly Yoga Exercise by Certified International Yoga Instructor, Ms Ashlynn Williams who has been practicing Yoga for more than 8 years. Chair Yoga is a great routine for loosening and strengthening the legs, the back, shoulders and neck, especially for seniors. It is very gentle and perfect for those with limited mobility. You will have fun with physical exercises and breathing techniques both the body and the mind.
1.30pm - 2.00pm	Refreshments
2.00pm – 4.00pm	Caregivers Sharing Session on Coping with Behaviour Challenges which will be Facilitated by ADFM Dementia Care Trainer, Ms Satiapoorany Subramaniam who is a retired nursing educator with extensive clinical experience.

FREE Admission - Prior registration is required for our logistic purposes. Please Email to: jenny@adfm.org.my and copy: jennyho8@gmail.com or whatsapp 016 608 2513, providing:

(1) Full Name/s

(2) Mobile contact/s

(3) Email address

(4) Indicate to whom you are caring for if you are a caregiver, or your position for our attendance record.

Kind regards,

Jenny

016 608 2513

ADFM National Caregivers Support Network

www.adfm.org.my

https://www.facebook.com/adfmpj/

To join, Sign Up at: http://admalaysia.ning.com

17MAR &18MAR18 ADFM Dementia Care Training Workshop for Family Caregivers

2018-03-12T07:45:00.001+08:00

To: Family Caregivers for persons with Alzheimer's and Dementia,

Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) will be conducting the DEMENTIA CARE SKILLS (DCS) Training Workshop for Family Caregivers (and their care workers) on:

Date: Saturday, 17 March 2018 (9.00am – 5.00pm), &

Sunday, 18 March 2018 (9.00am – 1.00pm)

Venue: ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre, No. 6 Lorong 11/8E, Seksyen 11, 46200 Petaling Jaya

This one and a half-day interactive training comprising 4-modules is designed to support you in your caregiving role with essential knowledge and skills to care for the person with dementia and yourself, using the Person-Centered Care Approach through sharing of real-life scenarios, discussions and identify potential strategies for managing caregiver stress.

Learning Outcome:

Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centred Care

• Identify the principles of Person Centered Care (PCC)

• Recognize the impact of dementia on person with dementia, and family caregivers

• Identify your own level of stress and self-care strategies

• Identify community resources available to support family caregivers

Module 2: Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)

• Understanding behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify potential triggers for behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify a range of options for supporting the person with dementia

Module 3: Effective Communication

• Describe the impact of dementia on communication

• Identify strategies for effective communication with a person with dementia, including:

Reality orientation, Validation, Reminiscence

Module 4: Purposeful and Meaningful Engagement

• Recognize the value of promoting engagement with life for a person with dementia

• Recognize the value of activity for a person with dementia

• Identify ways of adapting activities to meet individual needs

PROGRAMME

Day One Saturday 17 March 2018	0830 - 0900 0900 - 1100 1100 - 1115 1115 - 1315 1315 - 1400 1400 - 1430 1430 - 1600 1600 - 1615 1615 - 1700	Registration Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centered Care (PCC) Refreshment break Module 2: Behavioural & Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Lunch Break & Photo Session Interactive Session (Cont’d Module 2) Module 3: Effective Communication Tea break Interactive Session (Cont’d Module 3) Q & As
Day Two Sunday 18 March 2018	0830 - 0900 0900 - 1115 1115 - 1130 1130 - 1300	Registration Module 4 – Purposeful & Meaningful Engagement Refreshment break Module 4 (Cont’d) Interactive Session Q & A Summary

ADFM Team of Trainers / Facilitators:

(1) Module 1 & Module 2 by Geriatrician, Dr Elizabeth Chong

(2) Module 3 & Module 4 by Mr Felix Kong Hon Sen

FREE Admission and Compulsory Registration for logistic purposes. Email Jenny at jenny@adfm.org.my / jennyho8@gmail.com or whatsapp 016 608 2513, providing:

(1) Full Name/s

(2) Mobile contact

(3) Email address

(4) Indicate whether family caregiver or care worker, and

(5) To whom you are caring for.

Kind regards,

Jenny

016 608 2513

ADFM National Caregivers Support Network: http://admalaysia.ning.com

Web: www.adfm.org.my

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adfmpj/

10MARCH18 (SAT) ADFM Monthly Talk & Caregivers' Sharing Session at ADFM PJ Day-Care Cemtre

2018-03-01T06:32:00.000+08:00

Dear Caregivers,

The monthly talk and caregivers' sharing session for the month of March 2018 at the ADFM Day-Care Centre at No. 6, Lorong 11/8E, Seksyen 11, 46200 Petaling Jaya.

SATURDAY, 10 March 2018
12.30pm - 1.30pm	“Rejuvenating Chair Yoga” Exercise by Certified International Yoga Instructor, Ms Ashlynn Williams who has been practicing Yoga for more than 8 years. Chair Yoga is a great routine for loosening and strengthening the legs, the back, shoulders and neck, especially for seniors. It is very gentle and perfect for those with limited mobility. You will have fun with physical exercises and breathing techniques both the body and the mind.
1.30pm - 2.00pm	Refreshments
2.00pm - 4.00pm	Talk on “Value of Home Rehabilitation for Alzheimer’s Disease: “Occupational Therapy Approach” by Mathew Teo, Occupational Therapist and Senior Lecturer from Perdana University. Followed by Caregivers' Sharing Session to be facilitated by Ms Satipoorany Subramaniam, ADFM Trainer.

FREE Admission - Prior registration is required for our logistic purposes. Please Email to: jenny@adfm.org.my and copy: jennyho8@gmail.com or whatsapp 016 608 2513, providing:

(1) Full Name/s

(2) Mobile contact/s

(3) Email address

(4) Indicate to whom you are caring for if you are a caregiver, or your position for our attendance record.

Kind regards,

Jenny

016 608 2513 / 03 7931 5850

ADFM National Caregivers Support Network

www.adfm.org.my

https://www.facebook.com/adfmpj/

To join, Sign Up at: http://admalaysia.ning.com

ADFM Community Outreach Program in January 2018 at Atria-ADFM Community Centre

2017-12-25T09:02:00.001+08:00

ATRIA – ADFM COMMUNITY CENTRE (AACC)

T03, 3rd Floor, Atria Shopping Gallery

Jalan SS22/23, Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS

JANUARY 2018

FREE REGISTRATION – OPEN TO ALL CAREGIVERS FOR PERSONS LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA, ELDERLY & FAMILIES

Sunday 11.30AM-12.30PM January 7, 14, 21 and 28	Weekly Sunday Yoga Exercise by Yoga Instructor, Daphanie Kuan (For Caregivers and Alzheimer’s Dementia Persons, the Elderly and their families.)
Saturday, 6 January 2.00PM – 3.30PM	“Stroke in The Elderly” by Dr Tan Kit Mun, Consultant Geriatrician of UMMC · Risk Factors · Prevention Strategies · Acute Medical Treatment · Complications of Stroke · The Rehabilitation Process
Saturday, 13 January 2.00PM – 3.30PM	“Nutrition for Brain Power” by Chan Cudennec, Holistic Health Coach and Nutrition Specialist
Saturday, 20 January 2.00PM – 3.30PM	“Breathing for Health” by Chan Cudennec, Holistic Health Coach and Nutrition Specialist
Saturday, 27 January 2.00PM – 4.00PM	Caregivers Sharing Session “Caregiving for Persons Living with Dementia” - Facilitator, Catherine Siow, Caregiver to late AD Mum.

Registration is required for logistics purpose. Email jenny@adfm.org.my OR Whatsapp: 016 608 2513, providing:

(1) Full Name/s

(2) Mobile contact

(3) Email address

(4) Indicate whether family caregiver or care worker

(5) Whom you are caring for

Further enquiries, please whatsapp 016 608 2513 (Jenny) or see Bee Lan & Cath Siow at the Atria Community Centre.

Can Vitamin E Prevent Alzheimer's?

2017-12-12T17:20:00.000+08:00

Can Vitamin E Prevent Alzheimer's?

The evidence:

While there is some evidence that vitamin E slows the progression of Alzheimer's, a recent trial the first large-scale trial to investigate whether antioxidants can prevent dementia found that neither vitamin E nor selenium (another antioxidant) was protective, whether used alone or in combination.

The study, published in JAMA Neurology in 2017, tested the effect of the two antioxidants on about 3,800 men who were at least 60 years old. Participants were divided into four groups, each took supplements or placebo for up to 15 years as follows: vitamin E (400 IU per day), selenium (200 micrograms per day), vitamin E plus selenium, or placebo. All participants were evaluated periodically for dementia, using screening tests and medical records.

Analysis showed that about the same percentage of each of the four groups – 4 percent developed dementia, indicating that neither supplement was protective.

The bottom line:

Don't waste your money on these supplements to prevent Alzheimer's. A better investment in money and time would be to exercise regularly and follow a healthful diet to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. There is convincing evidence that these steps can also help reduce the risk for age-related cognitive decline.

(Source: UC Berkeley Health and Wellness Alerts, 12 December 2017)

ADFM ACTIVITIES AT AACC: (1) FRI/24NOV Sing-Along Session (2) SUN/26NOV Yoga Exercise Session

2017-11-22T07:23:00.000+08:00

TO: Family caregivers, dementia persons, seniors and the elderly

The following activities will be held at the ATRIA-ADFM Community Centre (AACC) on:

Venue: ATRIA-ADFM Community Centre, Atria Shopping Gallery, T03, 3rd Floor, Jalan SS 22/23, Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya
FRIDAY, 24 NOVEMBER	11.00am-1.00pm	Sing-Along Session by the Eleven to One Singing Group from DJROA who will sing sentimental oldies and Christmas songs. All caregivers and dementia persons as well as seniors/elderly are welcome to join the session – nasi lemak for lunch after the session.
SUNDAY, 26 November	11.00am-1.00pm	SUNDAY YOGA EXERCISE for Caregivers and Dementia Persons, the Elderly and their families.

FREE - NO REGISTRATION FEES for our outreach programs/activities.

TO REGISTER: Email to: jenny@adfm.org.my / jennyho8@gmail.com, OR WhatsApp 016 608 2513, providing:

(1) Full Name/s

(2) Mobile contact

(3) Email address

(4) If you are a caregiver, indicate whom you are caring for.

Kindly confirm your attendance for our logistic arrangement.

The ATRIA-ADFM Dementia Friendly Community Center (AACC), officially opened on 9 September 2017, is a joint community service initiative between ADFM and Atria Shopping Gallery to promote greater awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia, and cater to the needs of people living with dementia (PWDs) around the Damansara Jaya neighborhoods where the PWDs, their carers and the public will have greater access to information, assistance and support on Dementia.

Kind regards.

ADFM NATIONAL CAREGIVERS SUPPORT NETWORK is an online community platform for caregivers to seek support, information, advice, and share their caregiving challenges and experiences with other caregivers.

To Join: Sign Up at: http://admalaysia.ning.com

National Dementia Helpline: 603 7931 5850

LONGER LIVES, BETTER LIVING - WHY I’M DIGGING DEEP INTO ALZHEIMER'S

2017-11-17T09:22:00.000+08:00

By Bill Gates, 13 November 2017

In every part of the world, people are living longer than they used to. Thanks to scientific advancements, fewer people die young from heart disease, cancer, and infectious diseases. It’s no longer unusual for a person to live well into their 80s and beyond. My dad will celebrate his 92nd birthday in a couple weeks, a milestone that was practically unimaginable when he was born.

This fact—that people are living longer than ever before—should always be a wonderful thing. But what happens when it’s not?

Investing In The Fight Against Alzheimer’s

The longer you live, the more likely you are to develop a chronic condition. Your risk of getting arthritis, Parkinson’s, or another non-infectious disease that diminishes your quality of life increases with each year. But of all the disorders that plague us late in life, one stands out as a particularly big threat to society: Alzheimer’s disease.

You have a nearly 50 percent chance of developing the disease if you live into your mid-80s. It is the only cause of death in the top 10 without any meaningful treatments that becomes more prevalent each year. That trend will likely continue as baby boomers age, which means that more families will watch their loved ones suffer from cognitive decline and slowly disappear. Despite this growing burden, scientists have yet to figure out what exactly causes Alzheimer’s or how to stop the disease from destroying the brain.

I first became interested in Alzheimer’s because of its costs—both emotional and economic—to families and healthcare systems. The financial burden of the disease is much easier to quantify. A person with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia spends five times more every year out-of-pocket on healthcare than a senior without a neurodegenerative condition. Unlike those with many chronic diseases, people with Alzheimer’s incur long-term care costs as well as direct medical expenses. If you get the disease in your 60s or 70s, you might require expensive care for decades.

These costs represent one of the fastest growing burdens on healthcare systems in developed countries. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Americans will spend $259 billion caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in 2017. Absent a major breakthrough, expenditures will continue to squeeze healthcare budgets in the years and decades to come. This is something that governments all over the world need to be thinking about, including in low- and middle-income countries where life expectancies are catching up to the global average and the number of people with dementia is on the rise.

The human cost of Alzheimer’s is much more difficult to put into numbers. It’s a terrible disease that devastates both those who have it and their loved ones. This is something I know a lot about, because men in my family have suffered from Alzheimer’s. I know how awful it is to watch people you love struggle as the disease robs them of their mental capacity, and there is nothing you can do about it. It feels a lot like you’re experiencing a gradual death of the person that you knew.

My family history isn’t the sole reason behind my interest in Alzheimer’s. But my personal experience has exposed me to how hopeless it feels when you or a loved one gets the disease. We’ve seen scientific innovation turn once-guaranteed killers like HIV into chronic illnesses that can be held in check with medication. I believe we can do the same (or better) with Alzheimer’s.

I’ve spent considerable time over the last year learning about the disease and the progress made to date. There’s a lot of amazing work being done in this field to delay Alzheimer’s and reduce its cognitive impact. What I’ve heard from researchers, academics, funders, and industry experts makes me hopeful that we can substantially alter the course of Alzheimer’s if we make progress in five areas:

· We need to better understand how Alzheimer’s unfolds. The brain is a complicated organ. Because it’s so difficult to study while patients are alive, we know very little about how it ages normally and how Alzheimer’s disrupts that process. Our understanding of what happens in the brain is based largely on autopsies, which show only the late stages of the disease and don’t explain many of its lingering mysteries. For example, we don’t fully understand why you are more likely to get Alzheimer’s if you’re African American or Latino than if you’re white. If we’re going to make progress, we need a better grasp on its underlying causes and biology.

· We need to detect and diagnose Alzheimer’s earlier. Since the only way to diagnose Alzheimer’s definitively is through an autopsy after death, it’s difficult to identify the disease definitively early in its progression. Cognitive tests exist but often have a high variance. If you didn’t sleep well the night before, that might skew your results. A more reliable, affordable, and accessible diagnostic—such as a blood test—would make it easier to see how Alzheimer’s progresses and track how effective new drugs are.

· We need to make it easier to get people enrolled in clinical trials. The pace of innovation is partly determined by how quickly we can do clinical trials. Since we don’t yet have a good understanding of the disease or a reliable diagnostic, it’s difficult to find qualified people early enough in the disease’s progression willing to participate. It can sometimes take years to enroll enough patients. If we could develop a process to pre-qualify participants and create efficient registries, we could start new trials more quickly.

· We need to use data better. Every time a pharmaceutical company or a research lab does a study, they gather lots of information. We should compile this data in a common form, so that we get a better sense of how the disease progresses, how that progression is determined by gender and age, and how genetics determines your likelihood of getting Alzheimer’s. This would make it easier for researchers to look for patterns and identify new pathways for treatment.

By improving in each of these areas, I think we can develop an intervention that drastically reduces the impact of Alzheimer’s. There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about our chances: our understanding of the brain and the disease is advancing a great deal. We’re already making progress—but we need to do more.

I want to support the brilliant minds doing this work. As a first step, I’ve invested $50 million in the Dementia Discovery Fund—a private fund working to diversify the clinical pipeline and identify new targets for treatment. Most of the major pharmaceutical companies continue to pursue the amyloid and tau pathways. DDF complements their work by supporting startups as they explore less mainstream approaches to treating dementia.

I’m making this investment on my own, not through the foundation. The first Alzheimer’s treatments might not come to fruition for another decade or more, and they will be very expensive at first. Once that day comes, our foundation might look at how we can expand access in poor countries.

But before we can even begin to think about how we do that, we need lots of scientific breakthroughs. With all of the new tools and theories in development, I believe we are at a turning point in Alzheimer’s R&D. Now is the right time to accelerate that progress before the major costs hit countries that can’t afford high priced therapies and where exposure to the kind of budget implications of an Alzheimer’s epidemic could bankrupt health systems.

This is a frontier where we can dramatically improve human life. It’s a miracle that people are living so much longer, but longer life expectancies alone are not enough. People should be able to enjoy their later years—and we need a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s to fulfill that. I’m excited to join the fight and can’t wait to see what happens next.

(Source: GatesNotes Insider)

WARNING SIGNS OF MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

2017-11-15T06:39:00.000+08:00

People with mild cognitive impairment are more forgetful than normal for their age, but they don't experience other cognitive problems associated with dementia, such as disorientation or confusion about routine activities.

Routine tasks such as paying bills, shopping, and meal preparation may become challenging. People with mild cognitive impairment may take more time doing these things and they may make more mistakes. They are generally able to live independently but may be less active socially.

About one in five older adults has some type of mild cognitive impairment. In a 2010 study of nearly 2,000 people, about 16 percent of dementia-free people over age 70 were suffering from mild cognitive impairment. Men were more likely to suffer than women, although women may simply experience dementia at a later age. In the study, risk factors included being a carrier of the APOE e4 gene (a known risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease), never having married, and having less than nine years of education.

In a 2011 study of nearly 1,300 women age 85 and older, 23 percent were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. The researchers recommend that women this age should be screened for cognitive problems.

The National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroup has come up with new diagnostic guidelines for mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease. With mild cognitive impairment, people experience gradual cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's-related brain changes.

What to look for:

A person is thought to suffer from mild cognitive impairment if he or she meets the following criteria:

· A friend, family member, doctor, or the person in question is concerned about a change in his or her cognition compared to the previous level.

· The person is experiencing more difficulties in one or more cognitive areas such as memory, attention, and language than would be expected for his or her age or educational background. Difficulty learning and retaining new information is most common in mild cognitive impairment patients who develop Alzheimer's related dementia.

The person is having trouble performing complex tasks such as paying bills, preparing a meal, or shopping. He or she may take more time, be less efficient, and make more mistakes than in the past. Still, he or she maintains his or her independence with minimal assistance.

· There's no evidence of significant impairment in social or occupational functioning.

· There should be objective evidence of progressive cognitive decline over time. Cognitive testing can assess the degree of impairment. Scores for people with mild cognitive impairment are usually 1 to 1.5 standard deviations below the mean for their age and education level.

Some formal cognitive tests that assess both immediate and delayed recall can help identify mild cognitive impairment patients who are likely to progress to Alzheimer's dementia within a few years. They include the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test, the Rev Auditory Verbal Learning Test and the California Verbal Learning Test.

Other tests can determine impairment in problem-solving, reasoning and language. Doctors may also assess a person's cognitive function using informal techniques, like asking a patient to learn a street address and then remember it after a delay.

Vascular, traumatic, and medical illnesses that could explain the decline in cognition must be ruled out. The goal is to increase the likelihood that the underlying cause of mild cognitive impairment is probably Alzheimer's.

· If a person is known to carry a genetic defect, such as a mutation in APP, PS1 or PS2, he or she is most likely suffering from mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease. Most of these carriers develop Alzheimer's before age 65. A person who meets the diagnostic criteria for mild cognitive impairment and carries the apolipoprotein E gene is more likely to progress to Alzheimer's dementia within a few years than someone without this gene.

Biomarkers such as proteins that can be measured in spinal fluid as well as imaging tests like positron-emission tomography (PET) scans are being studied or used to increase accuracy in diagnosing mild cognitive impairment.

Doctors are looking for specific proteins beta-amyloid and tau which are found in the brain of a person affected by Alzheimer's disease. Identifying these proteins could help doctors pinpoint the underlying cause of mild cognitive impairment, which could lead to the best treatment and determine whether a person will progress to a more severe stage of mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

What may help

Researchers have discovered that activities such as exercise and computer use may prevent mild cognitive impairment. In a 2010 Mayo Clinic study, adults between ages 70 and 90 who participated in moderate physical exercise like brisk walking or biking and used a computer were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment.

Another Mayo Clinic study found that consuming more heart-healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats reduced the risk of mild cognitive impairment among people age 70 and older. These fatty acids which are found in olive oil, nuts, seafood, and vegetable oils appear to prevent inflammation and reduce the risk of blood clots, stroke, and heart disease.

Many experts believe that mild cognitive impairment may be an early warning sign of memory disorders later in life. Studies show that up to 15 percent of people with mild cognitive impairment progress to Alzheimer's disease each year, compared with a rate of 1 to 2 percent a year for the general older population.

Large-scale studies are testing whether therapies can halt or slow the conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease. By intervening at the first signs of memory trouble, doctors hope to delay Alzheimer's disease, or prevent it altogether.

In a study published in Neurology, moderate drinking defined as up to one drink per day (mostly wine)slowed the rate of progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia by 85 percent compared with those who abstained from alcohol.

Research on medications for staving off dementia has been discouraging, though. For example, in a recent study of people with mild cognitive impairment, researchers found no significant benefit from early intervention with the Alzheimer's drug donepezil (Aricept) or vitamin E.

(Source: UC Berkeley Health and Wellness Alerts, November 2017)

2 & 3 DEC17 (SAT&SUN) ADFM Dementia Care Skills Training Workshop for Family Caregivers

2017-11-13T07:21:00.001+08:00

To: Family Caregivers for persons living with Dementia,

Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) will be conducting the DEMENTIA CARE SKILLS (DCS) Training Workshop for family caregivers (and their care workers) on:

Date: Saturday, 2 December 2017 (9.00am – 5.00pm), &

Sunday, 3 December 2017 (9.00am – 1.00pm)

Venue: ADFM PJ Day-Care Centre, No. 6, Lorong 11/8E, Seksyen 11, 46200 Petaling Jaya

Learning Outcome:

Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centred Care

• Identify the principles of Person Centered Care (PCC)

• Recognize the impact of dementia on person with dementia, and family caregivers

• Identify your own level of stress and self-care strategies

• Identify community resources available to support family caregivers

Module 2: Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)

• Understanding behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify potential triggers for behaviour associated with dementia

• Identify a range of options for supporting the person with dementia

Module 3: Effective Communication

• Describe the impact of dementia on communication

• Identify strategies for effective communication with a person with dementia, including:

Reality orientation, Validation, Reminiscence

Module 4: Purposeful and Meaningful Engagement

• Recognize the value of promoting engagement with life for a person with dementia

• Recognize the value of activity for a person with dementia

• Identify ways of adapting activities to meet individual needs

PROGRAMME

Day One Saturday 29 April 17	0830 - 0900 0900 - 1100 1100 - 1115 1115 - 1315 1315 - 1400 1400 - 1600 1600 - 1615 1615 - 1700	Registration Module 1: Impact of Dementia and Person-Centered Care Refreshment break Module 2: Behavioural & Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Photo Session Lunch break Module 3 – Effective Communication Tea break Interactive Session Q & A
Day Two Sunday 30 April 17	0830 - 0900 0900 - 1115 1115 - 1130 1130 - 1300	Registration Module 4 – Purposeful & Meaningful Engagement Refreshment break Module 4 (Cont’d) Interactive Session Q & A Summary

ADFM Team of Trainers / Facilitators:

(1) Geriatrician, Dr Goh Cheng Beh

(2) Ms Ooi Saw Geok, retired Nursing Educator

NO Registration Fees – for family caregivers, their care workers, and significant others of persons with dementia.

To register, please email to: jenny@adfm.org.my / jennyho8@gmail.com or whatsapp 016 608 2513, providing:

(1) Full Name/s

(2) Mobile contact

(3) Email address

(4) Indicate whether family caregiver or care worker, and

(5) To whom you are caring for.

Kind regards.

11NOV (SAT) & 12NOV (SUN) ADFM Outreach Programs at ADFM-ATRIA Community Centre, Atria Shopping Gallery

2017-11-09T18:21:00.001+08:00

Kindly be informed that the following ADFM outreach programs will be held at the ADFM-ATRIA Community Centre for family caregivers for persons living with dementia, their families and care workers, and elderly communities.

Programs

Venue: ADFM-Atria Community Centre, Atria Shopping Gallery, T03, 3^rd Floor, Jalan SS 22/23, Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya
(SAT) 11 November	11.30am-1.00pm	Talk “Emotions in Dementia Persons” Synopsis: Persons with dementia often show changed behavior and unstable emotional states, and sometimes it is difficult to manage. Dr Azlina will talk about why dementia persons seem to lose their ability to control their emotions; how even when all memory seems to be lost, dementia persons still have feelings, and how this knowledge may help caregivers to understand and manage their loved ones condition better.	Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar from the UM Biomedical Science and secondary caregiver to AD Mum (her Dad is the primary caregiver)

(SUN) 12 November	11.30am-12.30pm	Yoga Exercise for Caregivers and their loved one's living with Dementia, and the elderly	Yoga Instructor, Stephanie Kuan
	1.30pm-2.30pm	Talk “Falls Prevention and Management in The Elderly”	Physiotherapist, Tracy Chan

FREE Registration. To confirm your attendance, please email to: jenny@adfm.org.my or whatsapp 016 608 2513, providing:

(1) Full Name/s
(2) Mobile contact
(3) If a Caregiver, please indicate to whom?

Kindly confirm your attendance for our logistic arrangement.

Kind regards.

(SAT) 4NOV17 ADFM-ATRIA COMMUNITY CENTRE - CAREGIVERS SHARING SESSION "AGGRESSIVENESS AMONG DEMENTIA PERSONS"

2017-11-04T07:39:00.000+08:00

ADFM will be having a Caregivers Sharing Session on "Aggressiveness Among Dementia Persons" for family caregivers caring for persons living with dementia, their care workers and families, and the general public.

Day/Date: Saturday, 4 November 2017

Time: 3.00pm - 5.00pm

Venue: ADFM-ATRIA Community Centre, Level 3 (P3), Atria Shopping Gallery, Damansara Jaya.

The Speaker/Facilitator will be Ms Satiapoorany Subramaniam who is a Nurse Educator and ADFM Trainer with vast clinical experience.

FREE Registration. To confirm your attendance, please email to: jenny@adfm.org.my or whatsapp 016 608 2513, providing:

(1) Full Name/s
(2) Mobile contact
(3) If a Caregiver, please indicate to whom?

Kindly confirm your attendance for our logistic arrangement.

Kind regards.

15OCT17 (Sunday) ADFM-Atria Community Centre - ADFM Outreach Programs: (1) Yoga Exercise and (2) Talk on Exercise, Ageing and Dementia

2017-10-12T15:23:00.001+08:00

Please be advised that the following outreach programs will be held at the ADFM- ATRIA

Community Centre on:

Day / Date: 15 October 2017 (Sunday)

Venue: ADFM-ATRIA Community Centre, T03, 3^rd Floor, Atria Shopping Gallery, Jalan SS22/23, Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Parking: You can park at P3 (Level 3) which is walking distance to the ADFM-ATRIA Community Centre (Next to Daiso). Ample and spacious parking. Spacious washrooms and nearby (very convenience).

Time:

(1) 11.00am – 12.00pm

Yoga Exercise for Caregivers and Dementia Persons by Yoga Instructor, Stephanie

(2) 2.00pm – 3.30pm

Talk on Exercise, Ageing and Dementia by Physiotherapist, Tracy Chan.

FREE Registration - For our logistics arrangement, kindly email jenny@adfm.org.my or whatsapp 016 608 2513 confirming your attendance.

See you this Sunday at the ADFM-ATRIA Community Centre on the 3 level of Atria Shopping Gallery, Damansara Jaya !

Kind regards,

ADFM National Caregivers Support Network

HIGH ALERT : MISSING ALZHEIMER’S PERSON – MUNIT ITAM FAJAR

2017-10-11T18:46:00.000+08:00

Dear all,

Please help to circulate to all your contacts in Ipoh urgently.

Munit Itam Fajar, AD person in Ipoh, has gone missing more than 3 hours ago today since 12.30pm. His wife is frantically searching for him. The wife has made a Police Report in Ipoh.

Name: Munit Itam Fajar

Age: 74 years old

Date Missing: Wednesday, 11 October 2017

Time Missing: 12.30PM

House Address: No. 19, Jalan Pengkalan 4, Taman Pengkalan Jaya, 31650 IPOH.

Noorhayati, his daughter who is in KL, informed that her dad usually goes to the mosque at Taman Pengkalan Jaya, which is 200m from the house, and come home. But this time, he didn't return home after 2 hours.

His Dad drove out alone in a black Proton Pesona (ABM 1885). He left his wallet and spectacles at home. The wife believes there is no ID with him right now.

Physical Description: He is small, thin and dark-skinned. He has little hair, usually wears a white skull cap (kopiah). He doesn't talk much.

Anyone who spotted him, please contact his Wife at 019 553 9760 or her daughter, Noorhayati at 019 314 9671.

Kind regards.

9 & 10 SEPT 2017 - ADFM Commemoration of World Alzheimer's Month In Collaboration with Atria Shopping Gallery

2017-08-26T15:57:00.000+08:00

COMMEMORATE

‘REMEMBER ME’

Early Diagnosis Means I Can Live Well for Longer

9 & 10 SEPTEMBER 2017 (10.30am-9.00pm)

ATRIA SHOPPING GALLERY

(CENTRE COURT, GROUND FLOOR, DAMANSARA JAYA)

Event Highlights:

“remember me” MEMORY WALK 2017

(9 September, 11.30am-1.00pm)

TREASURE HUNT

(10 September, 11.00am-2.30pm)

Informative Talks on Dementia & Health Awareness

Interactive Public Forums

Special Brain Gym/Abacus Activities & Music

(for Dementia Persons and their Caregivers)

Poster Exhibition

Exhibitor Booths

Exciting Musical Performances

PROGRAMME

SATURDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 2017 Atria Shopping Gallery – CENTRE COURT, GROUND FLOOR
Time	Programme
10.30am	Registration (media and guests)
10.40am	“Welcome Address” by Atria Management, Atria Shopping Gallery
10.50am	“Opening Address” by Datuk Dr Yim Khai Kee, Chairman, ADFM Exco
10.55am	Message from DY Suharya, Regional Director, Asia Pacific Region, Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI)
11.00am	Speech by Puan Sri Wendy Ong, Patron of ADFM
11.05am	Launch of WAM 2017 Mock-Key Presentation of the Community Corner to Puan Sri Wendy Ong, Patron of ADFM
11.30am-12.30pm	“REMEMBER ME” MEMORY WALK 2017 (1) Assemble and Flag-Off at Centre Court, Ground Floor (2) Finish-Line at Community Corner (3 Floor) and Ribbon Cutting (3) Registration Fee: RM20/- per participant with T-Shirt and Goody Bag (FREE for AD person – accompanied by family caregiver) (4) To Register, Click On: Registration Form for Instructions and download Further enquiries: Please email : jenny@adfm.org.my / jennyho8@gmail.com Or WhatsApp +6016 608 2513 Or call Telephone No. +603 7931 5850
2.00pm	Poco-Poco Line Dance Session by Alzheimer’s Indonesia
2.30pm-4.45pm	Public Awareness Talks: (1) Dementia Vs Old Age by Dr Yau Weng Keong, Consultant Physician & Geriatrician (2) Handling Challenges in Dementia by Dr Elizabeth Chong, Geriatrician (3) Communication in Dementia by Dr Alan Pok, Geriatrician
4.45pm-5.30pm	Nutrition and Dementia by Ms Mageswary, Dietician
6.00pm	Quartet Performance by Eugene Pook (Music Director & Conductor of The Selangor Symphony Orchestra)
8.00pm	Poco-Poco Line Dance Session by Alzheimer’s Indonesia
9 & 10 SEPTEMBER 2017: * 11.00am – 9.00pm : FREE Health Screening ** 11.00am – 4.00pm : FREE “Memory Test” by UMMC Geriatric Unit – Priority to aged 65 and above, followed by other age group.

SUNDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2017 (CENTRE COURT, GROUND FLOOR)
11.00am-2.30pm	TREASURE HUNT "REMEMBER ME" – Join the fun-filled Treasure Hunt to challenge your brain and stand a chance to walk away with fabulous prizes. *Pre-Register at atria.com.my before 5 September 2017 to participate.* Limited to 50 groups only (2 pax per group).
12.00 pm	VPS Music School Graduation Performance
2.30pm-4.30pm	INTERACTIVE PUBLIC FORUM: "Building A Dementia Friendly Community” facilitated by Prof. Dr Shahrul Kamaruzzaman, UMMC Forum Panel: Dr Lee Fatt Soon, Prof. Dato’ Dr Raymond Azman Ali, Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar, Ms Satiapoorany Subramaniam
4.30pm-5.30pm	Living A Healthy Lifestyle As You Age by Prof. Dr Chin Ai Vyrn , Consultant Geriatrician
6.00pm	Quartet Performance by Eugene Pook (Music Director & Conductor of The Selangor Symphony Orchestra)
8.00pm	Poco-Poco Line Dance Session by Alzheimer’s Indonesia
CONCURRENT SESSION (3RD FLOOR – ADFM/ATRIA COMMUNITY CORNER) SUNDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2017
2.00pm-3.30pm	For seating & logistic purposes - Registration is required: Email: jenny@adfm.org.my or WhatsApp +6016 6082513 with Full Name(s) & Mobile Contact numbers Mandarin Awareness Talk: “Dementia: Is It Inevitable? What Should I Do?” By Geriatrician, Dr Goh Cheng Beh & Geriatric-Psychiatric, Dr Chan Yee Fei.
3.30 pm-4.30pm	This Session for Dementia Persons, Family Caregivers & Care Workers you need to Pre-Registration (due limited places/seats). Please Email: jenny@adfm.org.my - providing Full Name(s) and Mobile Contact numbers. Brain Gym / Abacus Activities for Dementia Persons and Caregivers By abcd-Achievers Brain Cognitive Development (This is a movement based learning centre)
4.30 pm-5.30pm	For Dementia Persons, Family Caregivers & Care Workers Music / Sing-Along Sessions for Dementia Persons By Mr Cheong Kwok Yew

NOTE: - To register for the Memory Walk, for instructions

Click on “Registration Form” and download.

- To participate in the Treasure Hunt

Click on “Treasure Hunt”

NOTE:

1. Donations of any amount are welcome to help defray the expenditure in this Community Awareness Event organized by ADFM, being a non-profit organization:

Name: Alzheimer's Disease Foundation

Bank Name: CIMB Bank Berhad

Bank Account No: 800 229 3277

On receiving your Online Transfer Advice Slip / Payment Receipt, a Tax Exemption Receipt will be issued by ADFM.

2. Sponsorship of gifts/freebies for Goody Bags for participants is welcome. Kindly contact jenny@adfm.org.my / 016 608 2513.

JOIN THE MEMORY WALK “remember me”

YOUR SUPPORT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE

“We remember their love when they CAN no longer remember”