High school seniors impacted by Alzheimer’s disease can win up to $5,000 for college through the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s (AFA) Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship. Students can enter the contest by visiting www.alzfdn.org/scholarship. The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2022.

“Teens across the country are making an impact because they’ve been impacted by Alzheimer’s— they are caring for loved ones, volunteering, working at care settings, raising awareness and conducting research,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President and CEO. “These college scholarships will help tomorrow’s leaders in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease with their college education. We invite all high school seniors who have been affected by Alzheimer’s to enter.”

College-bound high school seniors are invited to apply for the scholarship by submitting an essay (1,500 words maximum) describing how Alzheimer’s disease has impacted their lives and what they have learned about themselves, their family and/or their community through their experience with Alzheimer’s. Essays can be submitted by visiting www.alzfdn.org/scholarship. Students already attending college are not eligible to participate.

Awards range from first prize of $5,000, second prize of $3,500, third prize of $2,500, fourth prize of $1,500, and fifth prize of $1,000 to honorable mentions between $750 and $400. Since the program’s inception, more than $350,000 in college scholarships have been awarded.

AFA has been able to provide these scholarship funds with the generous support of charitable donors.

Individuals wishing to support this and other programs and services for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease can do so by visiting www.alzfdn.org/donate or calling AFA at 866-232-8484.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support, services and education to individuals, families and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias nationwide and to fund research for better treatment and a cure. Its services include a National Toll-Free Helpline (866-232-8484) staffed by licensed social workers, the National Memory Screening Program, educational conferences and materials, and “AFA Partners in Care” dementia care training for healthcare professionals.

For more information about AFA, call 866-232-8484, visit www.alzfdn.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. AFA has earned Charity Navigator’s top 4-star rating for six consecutive years.

by Amy Cameron O’Rourke, author of The Fragile Years

A 78-year-old man had a stroke on the golf course. His partners called 911 and he was rushed to the ER, but the poor guy never regained full consciousness. The COVID-19 pandemic added another level of stress and heartache to the matter, with ventilators in short supply and hospital protocols changing by the minute. That’s where I came in. As an advocate for the man’s family, I organized an emotional Zoom meeting with his wife and grown children.

When his wife learned of the failing condition of his lungs, heart and other major organs, she knew. “I’m losing him, aren’t I? Why didn’t the hospital tell me this?” It was a question I could not answer, despite my suspicions. It happens all too often with clients in the fragile years. Families are left in the dark and not given the information they need to make critical decisions.

Hospitals and nursing homes should absolutely take every measure possible to keep older patients alive while at the same time being mindful that compassion is about quality of life – not saving lives at all costs.

When well-intentioned but unnecessary medical procedures prolong the lives of older adults, the suffering they cause is rarely worth it.

It’s time to hit the reset button and end the culture of treatment that causes more harm than benefit. What can you do to ensure your loved one receives compassionate elder care? In my book, The Fragile Years, I outline some key action steps families can take in this tender chapter of life:

Arm yourself with the tools to make informed, compassionate decisions about quality of life well in advance of a medical crisis. Ask your loved one what their preferences are in different scenarios.

Get to know your older loved one’s values around end-of-life events – and respect them when the time comes.

Before life-prolonging steps are taken, ask your older loved one what they would like.

Remember to put your loved one’s desires first. Allow them a more natural and peaceful end of life if that is what they want.

Have the courage to make decisions that may appear contrary to the medical profession’s opinions.

If your loved one is experiencing cognitive decline, be prepared to be their compassionate spokesperson. Firmly demand the care they would want if they were making the decision themselves.

It’s never too early to become familiar with the many legal, business and staffing considerations that shape nursing homes’ decisions, where everything from fear of lawsuits to fatigue come into play. Communicate with them accordingly.

After that revelatory Zoom meeting, the difficult next step was to determine where his family wanted him to spend his final hours.“Home,” his wife said. “With me and the kids.”

We arranged to have him discharged from the hospital and taken home, where hospice care had already been set up. He died 36 hours after coming home, surrounded by his loved ones. His widow called a few days later and expressed her gratitude. “I am at peace,” she said. “I am sad he is gone, but I am at peace.”

It’s not easy, helping someone through end-of-life decisions, especially if you don’t agree with all of them. I tell family members and friends to let go of who the loved one was, and also let go of your need for them to change. Give them the final gift of your understanding, compassion and generosity of spirit.

Amy Cameron O’Rourke is a nationally-known pioneer and advocate for senior care in the U.S.

Most people tend to focus on one type of exercise or activity and think they’re doing enough. Research has shown that it’s important to get all four types of exercise: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. Each one has different benefits. Doing one kind also can improve your ability to do the others, and variety helps reduce boredom and risk of injury. No matter your age, you can find activities that meet your fitness level and needs!

Endurance activities, often referred to as aerobic, increase your breathing and heart rates. These activities help keep you healthy, improve your fitness, and help you perform the tasks you need to do every day. Endurance exercises improve the health of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. They also can delay or prevent many diseases that are common in older adults such as diabetes, colon and breast cancers, heart disease, and others. Physical activities that build endurance include:

• Brisk walking or jogging
• Yard work (mowing, raking)
• Dancing
• Swimming
• Biking
• Climbing stairs or hills
• Playing tennis or basketball

Increase your endurance or “staying power” to help keep up with your grandchildren during a trip to the park, dance to your favorite songs at a family wedding, and rake the yard and bag up leaves. Build up to at least 150 minutes of activity a week that makes you breathe hard. Try to be active throughout your day to reach this goal and avoid sitting for long periods of time.

Your muscular strength can make a big difference. Strong muscles help you stay independent and make everyday activities feel easier, like getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, and carrying groceries. Keeping your muscles strong can help with your balance and prevent falls and fall-related injuries. You are less likely to fall when your leg and hip muscles are strong. Some people call using weight to improve your muscle strength “strength training” or “resistance training.”

Some people choose to use weights to help improve their strength. If you do, start by using light weights at first, then gradually add more. Other people use resistance bands, stretchy elastic bands that come in varying strengths. If you are a beginner, try exercising without the band or use a light band until you are comfortable. Add a band or move on to a stronger band (or more weight) when you can do two sets of 10 to 15 repetitions easily. Try to do strength exercises for all of your major muscle groups at least 2 days per week, but don’t exercise the same muscle group on any 2 days in a row. Below are a few examples of strength exercises:

• Lifting weights
• Carrying groceries
• Gripping a tennis ball
• Overhead arm curl
• Arm curls
• Wall push-ups
• Lifting your body weight
• Using a resistance band
• Safety Tips
• Don’t hold your breath during strength exercises and breathe regularly.
• Breathe out as you lift or push, and breathe in as you relax.
• Talk with your doctor if you are unsure about doing a particular exercise.

Balance Exercises for Older Adults

Balance exercises help prevent falls, a common problem in older adults that can have serious consequences. Many lower-body strength exercises also will improve your balance. Balance exercises include:

A heart attack happens when the flow of oxygen-rich blood in one or more of the coronary arteries, which supply the heart muscle, suddenly becomes blocked, and a section of heart muscle can’t get enough oxygen. The blockage is usually caused when a plaque ruptures. If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, either by a medicine that dissolves the blockage or a catheter placed within the artery that physically opens the blockage, the section of heart muscle begins to die.

Heart attacks are a leading killer of both men and women. Each year, more than 1 million people in the United States have a heart attack, and about half of them die. Half of those who die do so within 1 hour of the start of symptoms and before reaching the hospital.

A heart attack is an emergency. Learn the warning signs of a heart attack. The signs can include:

Crushing chest pain or pressure and/or discomfort or pain elsewhere in the upper body, neck, or arms

Nausea

A cold sweat

Fainting or lightheadedness

Shortness of breath

If you or someone you know might be having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 right away. Also call 9-1-1 if you are taking prescription drugs for angina (chest pain) and the pain doesn’t go away as usual after you take the medication. You need to take an ambulance to the hospital as soon as possible. Do not try to drive yourself, and do not have someone else drive you unless there is no ambulance service where you live. While waiting for the ambulance, the patient can be given one regular strength or baby aspirin and told to chew and swallow it if possible.

The sooner you get to a hospital, the more emergency medical professionals can do to stop any heart damage and prevent deadly heart rhythm problems, heart failure, and death. If blood flow in the blocked artery can be restored quickly, permanent heart damage may be prevented. Yet, many people do not seek medical care for 2 hours or more after symptoms start.

The good news is that excellent treatments are available for heart attacks. These treatments—which work best when given right after symptoms occur—can save lives and prevent disabilities.

When a family member has Alzheimer’s disease, it affects everyone in the family, including children and grandchildren. It’s important to talk to them about what is happening. How much and what kind of information you share depends on the child’s age and relationship to the person with Alzheimer’s.

Here are some tips to help kids understand what is happening:

Answer their questions simply and honestly. For example, you might tell a young child, “Grandma has an illness that makes it hard for her to remember things.”

Help them know that their feelings of sadness and anger are normal.

Comfort them. Tell them no one caused the disease. Young children may think they did something to hurt their grandparent.

Talk with kids about their concerns and feelings. Some may not talk about their negative feelings, but you may see changes in how they act. Problems at school, with friends, or at home can be a sign that they are upset. A school counselor or social worker can help your child understand what is happening and learn how to cope.

A teenager might find it hard to accept how the person with Alzheimer’s has changed. He or she may find the changes upsetting or embarrassing and not want to be around the person. Don’t force them to spend time with the person who has Alzheimer’s. This could make things worse.

Spending Time Together and Alone

It’s important to show kids that they can still talk with the person with Alzheimer’s disease and help him or her enjoy activities. Many younger children will look to you to see how to act.

Doing fun things together can help both the child and the person with Alzheimer’s. Here are some things they might do:

Do simple arts and crafts

Play music or sing

Look through photo albums

Read stories out loud

If kids live in the same house as someone with Alzheimer’s disease:

Don’t expect a young child to help take care of or “babysit” the person.

Make sure they have time for their own interests and needs, such as playing with friends, going to school activities, or doing homework.

Make sure you spend time with them, so they don’t feel that all your attention is on the person with Alzheimer’s.

Be honest about your feelings when you talk with kids, but don’t overwhelm them.

If the stress of living with someone who has Alzheimer’s disease becomes too great, think about placing the person with Alzheimer’s into a respite care facility. Then, both you and your kids can get a much-needed break.