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By David Ney

Every day, patients with Alzheimer’s disease live a unique challenge. Their disease is a leading cause of disability in older adults, but they have no medical treatments to slow its progression and preserve their quality of life. Instead of medications, their quality of life is largely determined by how people without the disease treat them.

When people hold negative beliefs or attitudes about Alzheimer’s disease, they may stereotype, isolate, or discriminate against patients. Even when intentions are good, people can still patronize or pass unfair judgments about an individual’s abilities. The patients themselves feel poorly about themselves.

This is stigma.

Joshua Grill (Photo by Steve Zylius / UCI)

By Chloe Elmer

Clinicians face an unusual challenge when it comes to diagnosing patients with mild cognitive impairment, commonly called MCI, and what that may or may not mean for their future.

Not all MCI patients develop dementia — some may show no decline over a 10-year period — but the diagnosis can still be helpful. It fosters discussions between physician and patient/family about important issues such as long-term financial planning and expectations.

Meanwhile, recently-approved PET scans can help determine an “elevated risk” of developing Alzheimer’s disease dementia through the identification of amyloid, but clinicians must proceed with caution when discussing these scan results.

These were a few of the comments from researchers in a new guide for clinicians on effective communication with patients and families regarding the diagnosis and possible outcomes of MCI. The 12 recommendations were recently published in the journal “Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy Journal.”

Tigist Hailu addresses racial disparity in the rates of Alzheimer’s disease.

Tigist Hailu, Penn Memory Center director for diversity in research and education, spoke at Grace Tabernacle Baptist Church on Wednesday for an event sponsored by the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority through the Alzheimer’s Association. The event was part of “The Longest Day,” a national awareness campaign by the Association held annually on the summer solstice.

Hailu spoke about the racial disparity of Alzheimer’s disease in the African-American community and how to get involved in research, specifically by joining the Healthy Brain Research Registry.

Local artist Patricia Moss-Vreeland held a free, one-time workshop at the Penn Memory Center clinic at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine in Philadelphia on Tuesday, June 20, 2017.

By Chloe Elmer

Local mixed-media artist Patricia Moss-Vreeland engaged members of the Penn Memory Center community with stimulating conversation and a reason to explore their creativity Tuesday night during a free Art of the Mind workshop at the Penn Memory Center at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine.

By Chloe Elmer

When a family member falls ill or is incapable of managing his or her own finances, adult children and caregivers may feel overwhelmed taking over. This is where Building Bridges to Wealth hopes to step in. 

By Chloe Elmer

Dance for Health: Active Body, Active Mind — a weekly dance program jointly coordinated by Penn Memory Center and the Ralston Center — and its efforts to involve older African-Americans in West Philadelphia, were featured in a recent edition of WHYY’s NewsWorks.

Merchant, at center right, collaborates with Center for Digital Health team members (L to R) Jesse Goldshear, MPH, Elissa Klinger, SM, Emily Seltzer, MPH, Jeremy Asch, and Remi Gurak. A broad range of disciplines, including medicine, design, engineering, and business, contribute to the team’s innovations. (Credit: PennMedicine.org)

By Chloe Elmer

Social media posts typically include photos from recent vacations or thoughts on current events, but researchers at the Penn Center for Digital Health and the Penn Memory Center are watching social media posts with consent from patients to see if trends can show early signs of Alzheimer’s or other cognitive decline.

Penn Memory Center (PMC) research coordinators Kristin Harkins and Grace Stockbower have successfully graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Public Health (MPH) Program.