News-Tip – Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return® Celebrates 12th Anniversary
Wandering is one of the most frightening and potentially life-threatening behaviors of people with Alzheimer’s disease.  Six of 10 people with Alzheimer’s will wander at some point, leaving home and unable to find their way back.  Those who wander are confused and sometimes cannot ask for help, leaving them susceptible to weather, traffic and those who prey on the vulnerable. If not found within the first 24 hours, half of those who wander will be at risk for serious injury or even death.

The Alzheimer’s Association launched Safe Return® in 1993 with the U.S. Department of Justice for a nationwide identification program specifically for people with Alzheimer’s. Since its inception, more than 10,000 enrolled wanderers were returned to families and caregivers and more than 128,000 people with Alzheimer’s have enrolled in Safe Return.®   Safe Return® features personalized jewelry, cards and/or clothing tags with the Safe Return® 24-hour, toll-free number.  Registrants contact information and photo are stored in a confidential, national computerized database.  When a registrant is reported missing, local law enforcement agencies receive information from Safe Return® and Alzheimer’s Association chapter representatives provide family support and assistance while police conduct the search and rescue.

To learn more about behaviors that can give warning when someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia may wander, what triggers wandering, simple measures that can help prevent wandering, or to enroll someone in Safe Return®, call 800.272.3900.
 

News-Tip – PSA Featuring Barbra Streisand and Peter Falk Encourages Support of Alzheimer Research and Care
A new public service announcement – “The Way We Were” –encourages Americans to protect their precious memories by joining the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and features entertainers Barbra Streisand and Peter Falk.  The PSA underscores the debilitating effects that Alzheimer’s has on one’s personal history, sense of self, and connections with family and friends. “The Association hopes that people will be moved by ‘The Way We Were’ and support local programs as well as continued progress in research to prevent this tragedy from striking other families,” said Kathryn Kane, senior vice president of brand management and marketing for the Alzheimer’s Association.  Click here to view the "The Way We Were" 30-second PSA: open mpeg

WARNING: This mpeg is a large video file. Not recommended for dial-up internet users.  When the download completes, click the play button (looks like an arrow pointing right) to view the video.
 

News-Tip – Healthcare Professionals Invited to Alzheimer's Association 13^th Annual Dementia Care Conference July 26-29 in Chicago
The Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Conference will be July 26-29, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago for those involved in Alzheimer care from across the country to hear from leaders in their fields about issues and developments related to dementia care, including improving services for people with early-stage dementia and improving quality care in residential facilities.  Sessions will emphasize management, training and care for nursing home and assisted living staff, early-stage Alzheimer care, Alzheimer research, the resilience of the brain, and serving diverse populations.  The conference formerly was known as the Alzheimer’s Association National Alzheimer’s Disease Education Conference.  For more information, visit www.alz.org/Events/dementia_care.asp
 

News-Tip – Association Convenes First International Conference on Prevention of Dementia
The Alzheimer’s Association’s first-of-its-kind conference on Alzheimer’s disease prevention – “International Conference on Prevention of Dementia: Early diagnosis and intervention” – will be June 18-21 in Washington, D.C., as a dynamic forum for clinicians, physicians, researchers and policy advocates on topics from early diagnosis, treatment and possible prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, to how science and technology intersect to open new doors for Alzheimer research and care.  Find out why brain imaging is an up-and-coming area of research positioned to accelerate the pace and sharpen the focus of Alzheimer diagnosis, treatment and prevention.  For more information, e-mail prevention@alz.org.

News-Tip - Association to Publish New Research Journal
The Alzheimer’s Association is launching a research journal, Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, in June.  The journal is expected to bridge the knowledge gaps across a wide range of bench-to-bedside investigations of dementia and Alzheimer’s, and will contain comprehensive review articles, original research papers, information on clinical trials, abstracts of papers presented at international meetings, in-depth perspectives, and theoretical and/or translation papers that attempt to integrate knowledge across disciplines. Other highlights will include reviews and expert perspectives from leaders in contributing disciplines, plus editorials and occasional special issues.  Journal Editor, Zaven Khachaturian, Ph.D., notes, “Research in the area of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders has experienced a tremendous expansion from clinical obscurity to prominence across a wide range of scientific, medical and social sciences.  By creating a new forum for researchers and clinicians to communicate and share ideas, Alzheimer’s & Dementia will add to the growing body of knowledge.”

News-Tip – “Power Players” Charity Fashion Show June 25 in Chicago
The “Power Players Charity Fashion Show” will be Saturday, June 25, in Chicago featuring athletes from a number of professional and high school sports teams modeling their own, custom-designed Athletique clothing and participating in photo and autograph sessions.  Proceeds benefit the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Illinois Chapter.  The event runs from 6 – 10 p.m. at the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, 1431 W. Taylor St., Chicago.  Tickets are $125 in advance and $175 at the door.  Purchase tickets online at www.myathletique.com.  The event is produced by Athletique Inc., in conjunction with Envision Results!  For more information, call 866.531.2266.  Participating athletes are from the following teams and organizations:

• Boxing - Hitz Boxing

• Football - Chicago Rush Arena Football, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams, and the Women’s Professional Football League

• Hockey – Chicago Wolves

• Racing - IRL IndyCar Series/Formula One

• Soccer - Chicago Storm, Soccer Made in America

• Softball - Chicago Bandits Fastpitch Softball Players