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An average person with dementia will need more than a quarter-million dollars’ worth of health care treatment in the last five years of life, greatly exceeding the costs associated with other diseases, according to a recent study.

The National Institute on Aging-funded study, published in the Oct. 27 edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine, estimated that someone with probable dementia would incur total health care costs of $287,000 in the last five years of life. Medicare beneficiaries treated for other health issues had an average cost of $183,000.

“It provides an important picture of the risks that families face, particularly those with dementia and those who may be least able to bear major financial risk,” NIA Director Dr. Richard Hodes said in a statement. “Such insights are critically important as we examine how best to support the aging of the U.S. population.”

The creative process can provide a stimulating respite for people living with dementia and their caregivers — that’s the idea behind the theme of Creative Spirit Symposium, planned for Wednesday at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown.

“The symposium spotlights the intersections of arts-centered experiences with the experiences of dementia, and how the arts can provide meaningful, stimulating and enjoyable respite for people living with the diagnosis and their care partners alike. A panel of regional experts will address the intersection of arts and dementia and engage with the audience in a lively discussion of the various ways in which programs and organizations are advancing these arts-centered approaches in our region, enhancing quality of life within our communities.” — www.michenermuseum.org

Carla Belver stars as Alice Ainsley in ‘Auctioning the Ainsleys,’ on stage at People’s Light in Malvern.

Auctioneer Alice Ainsley made a career of putting a price tag on possessions, but when her own memory begins to fade, the objects of her home become indispensable to her family.

The dark comedy ‘Auctioning the Ainsleys,’ on stage now at People’s Light in Malvern, Pa., stars Carla Belver in the regional premiere of the play by Laura Schellhardt.

In an effort to provide the public with “clear, trustworthy information on brain health,” AARP announced the creation of a new independent organization Tuesday.

The Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) brings together scientists, doctors, scholars, and policy experts from around the world to promote a “brain-healthy lifestyle.” The GCBH is an independent collaborative convened by AARP working together with Age UK—the United Kingdom’s largest charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life.

Penn Memory Center Co-Director Dr. Jason Karlawish has joined GCBH’s Governance Committee, which will serve as the hub of the organization’s hub-and-spoke structure. The spokes will be comprised of specialists focusing on single issues such as exercise, sleep, diet, stress, and medications.

Dr. John Trojanowski

Researchers across the nation are chasing answers to one question: Is it possible to transmit Alzheimer’s disease from one person to another?

Some researchers have taken the results of a study featured in the September edition of the journal Nature to say that it’s possible, but one Penn researcher who has studied the same data argues that’s just a misinterpreted result from a too-small study.

“Study another thousand people, then come back to me — another 7,000 people, then come back to me — and tell me what your findings are,” said Dr. John Trojanowski, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Core Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

A panel of (from left) Felicia Greenfield, Dr. Dawn Mechanic-Hamilton, Dr. David Wolk and Dr. John Trojanowski, listen to an attendee’s question at the 2015 Research Partner Thank You Breakfast.

After another year of studying neurodegenerative diseases with the help of hundreds of volunteers, the Penn Memory Center (PMC) thanked about 200 of those research participants and their family members with an informational breakfast.

The annual event, held at the Inn at Penn the morning of October 24, brought research participants face-to-face with the clinicians and coordinators working on PMC studies.

Join Boomers ‘R Heroes Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers Support Group on October 24 for a free screening of ‘Still Alice’ at First Corinthian Baptist Church.

“This moving production is a thought-provoking vehicle for any and all who are caring for a family member suffering with Alzheimer’s disease/dementia. This feature will touch all emotions, allowing you to openly share your feelings and accept suggestions from others. Please come out and join us.” — boomersrheroes.org

What: ‘Still Alice’ screening and Q&A
Time: Noon to 2 p.m.
Date: October 24
Place: First Corinthian Baptist Church, 5101 Pine Street, Philadelphia
RSVP: jean.kirkley@gmail.com

Angela Ddamba, right, signs in guests in 2014 at “Forget Me Not,” a play about Alzheimer’s disease among African-Americans, held at Freedom Theater.

Angela Ddamba joined the Penn Memory Center as a volunteer on a mission; she wanted to increase African-American participation in research. She completed her time here confident that equity in healthcare is within reach.

In her own words, here is her story:

Before I began volunteering with the Penn Memory Center (PMC), I had not been exposed to elder care in the community. This experience allowed me to work with the older, mainly African-American population in Philadelphia. I worked with Coordinator for Diversity in Research and Education Tigist Hailu, mainly to help with enrollment of African-American participants into NACC, a nationwide study of Alzheimer’s disease.

Walkers complete the 2015 Senior Strut at Lloyd Hall on Boathouse Row.

Seniors took to Boathouse row Friday morning as part of the one-mile 2015 Senior Strut.

At Lloyd Hall, the finish line of the walk, Penn Memory Center (PMC) staffers Tigist Hailu and Jessica Nunez distributed stress balls and PMC handouts. Outside, former Philadelphia Eagle Mike Quick addressed participants while a trio of Mummers serenaded the remaining walkers.

“I’m not as young as I used to be, and what I do [to exercise] is what you all did this morning,” said Quick, who also touted the benefits of yoga, saying “there’s nothing better for our aging bodies.”

See photos from the event below:

Dr. Roy Hamilton, a clinician with the Penn Memory Center, has been selected as the recipient of the Leonard Berwick Memorial Teaching Award.

The award, given to “a member of the medical faculty who in his or her teaching effectively fuses basic science and clinical medicine,” is typically given to a junior faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania.

Hamilton is an assistant professor of neurology, co-director of the Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation and is the associate director of Penn’s Clinical Neurosciences Training Program.