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For the Spring of 2022, the Penn Memory Center is offering a wide range of programs for patients, caregivers, and families. All programs are free, virtual, and require registration. Tap on the title of the program to register and for more information.

• Grief Yoga, first Thursday of every month at 11 a.m. starting Jan. 5
• Cognitive Comedy, Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. starting Jan. 24
• Creative Expressions Through Music, Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. starting Jan. 30
• Virtual Caregiver Forums, last Tuesday of every month at 11 a.m. starting Jan. 24
• Shake It Up!, Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. starting Jan. 26
• Mindfulness and Meditation, Thursdays at 1 p.m. starting Jan. 19
• Applications are now being accepted for our three Caregiving Classes.

These programs are free to patients/families seen at the Penn Memory Center and made possible from the philanthropic Caring Difference fund. Please consider making a donation so that we are able to continue offering support programs such as this.

If you are not affiliated with the Penn Memory Center, you are welcome to join this class/program if you make a donation of any amount to the Caring Difference fund.

Tap here to donate. 

On January 11, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a plan for Medicare coverage of Aduhelm (aducanumab). Aduhelm was FDA-approved in June 2021 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The CMS plan is a program called Coverage with Evidence Development (CED). This evidence will be developed using a randomized controlled trial.

The CMS proposal is open to public comment for 30 days. The public can submit comments on the proposal on the CMS website.

Please join us for a virtual community discussion about this proposal at 4 p.m. Wednesday, January 19. Penn Memory Center (PMC) Co-Director Jason Karlawish, MD, and UPenn Medicare expert Allison K. Hoffman, JD, will review the proposal and its potential impact on PMC, our research participants, and our patients.

Please submit questions anytime before the event via this form.

Register for Community Discussion

If you have limited internet access, please email Terrence Casey at terrence.casey@pennmedicine.upenn.edu for more information on attending the event via telephone. This event will be recorded and uploaded to the PMC YouTube channel. 

In a recent article, Emily Largent, PhD, JD, RN, member of the Penn Program on Precision Medicine for the Brain (P3MB), argues that Alzheimer’s disease testing and results disclosure should be brought into the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act). Here are some key takeaways from Dr. Largent’s article:

• Tests that show either the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or the presence of AD pathology are becoming more frequent and are predicted to become a regular aspect of health care in the near future.
• The Cures Act requires patients to be able to receive these test results immediately and electronically, without certainty that a clinician will be there to explain the result or that the patient received educational materials about the nuances and uncertainties of AD testing.
• Patients and families can understand AD gene and biomarker test results with the appropriate education.
  • Reports of test results should use plain and easy to comprehend language, not an abundance of medical jargon.
  • Educational materials should be evidence-based and be made widely available.
  • There should be increased access to expert postdisclosure education and counseling.

Dr. Largent’s full article is in JAMA Neurology. There is a paywall.

At the Mayo Clinic’s Conference on Brain Health & Dementia, PMC Co-director Jason Karlawish, MD, was a featured speaker. Dr. Karlawish told three stories of significant figures that demonstrate the influence of politics and culture on Alzheimer’s disease research and care.

It has been almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic impacted us all, and almost six months since we last shared with you the importance of vaccination. We have seen many changes to procedures and daily life — adapting as we learn new information. Like us, viruses also learn ways to adapt. There is an emergence of a new COVID-19 variant called Delta. Viruses change and adapt overtime, acting in new ways. The longer a virus circulates, the more it can change. This is called a variant. As the Delta variant has emerged, we would like to encourage you to get your COVID-19 vaccinations.

Below are some facts about the Delta variant from the Centers for Disease Control:

• The Delta variant is more contagious
• Some data suggest the Delta variant might cause more severe illness than previous variants in unvaccinated people
• Unvaccinated people remain the greatest concern
• Fully vaccinated people with Delta variant breakthrough infections can spread the virus to others. However, vaccinated people appear to spread the virus for a shorter time
• Vaccines in the US are highly effective, including against the Delta variant

Medical student at PCOM, member of Alpha Phi Alpha, and Penn Memory Center community partner Frederick Okoye shared his thought on the COVID-19 vaccination. “It’s just peace of mind. It’s just looking out for your fellow man or woman in your communities. Looking out for our elderly, looking out for our immunocompromised. It’s doing your civil duty.” Okoye said. “If you’re lucky enough to get the vaccine, I strongly encourage anybody to do so.”