Hello Memory Partners!

As we head into August, the grant under which Memory Partners has been operating for the past three years will end. We are so grateful and excited that Lower Cape Fear LifeCare has committed to not only continuing to fund the program, but to expand it as well. Stay tuned as we continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our caregivers!

We thank you for your ongoing patience as we make shifts in how we operate and look forward to continuing our work to provide support and education to all of you as you navigate the complex journey that is being a caregiver to someone with a dementia-related illness.

News

Recent advancements in the battle against Alzheimer’s Disease

In recent weeks, the FDA gave full approval for the drug Leqembi, which was developed to reduce plaques and tangles in the brain associated with the Alzheimer’s Disease process. As that happened, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the drug for insurance coverage, making it more accessible to the general public. While this is wonderful news, it will likely be some time before it is widely available. To get Medicare coverage for the drug, CMS states:

“To receive Medicare coverage, people will need to: 1) be enrolled in Medicare, 2) be diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer’s disease dementia, with documented evidence of beta-amyloid plaque on the brain, and 3) have a physician who participates in a qualifying registry with an appropriate clinical team and follow-up care. Clinicians participating in the registry will only need to complete a short, easy-to-use data submission. Individuals with Medicare should speak to their physician about whether this drug is right for them.” Click here to read the full press release.

This may bring up the question: How does one obtain evidence of beta-amyloid plaque on the brain?  Historically, physicians have examined spinal fluid or ordered PET scans to determine the presence of these proteins. In recent years, researchers have looked for less costly and invasive ways to determine the presence of Alzheimer’s Disease, including blood tests. For more information, speak with your doctor about the most current and reliable methods of diagnosis.

Updates from our Partners

Memory Partners is proud to partner with other area organizations to provide support to the caregiver community. We met quarterly with these partner organizations to get updates on their programs and to share our updates with them. Our most recent partner meeting was in late July, and we learned about some upcoming offerings that might be of interest to some of you.

The Area Agency on Aging is partnering with several other organizations to bring several events to the area, including:

• The Wilmington Caregiver Conference. This will be at Winter Park Baptist Church on August 17, 2023. To register, go to DementiaNC.org/Wilmington2023
• Free Caregiver Academy: the AAA provides a series of classes in Brunswick County covering a variety of topics. Each month a new topic is covered.
• A new caregiver support group, for the Columbus County area, meets on the second Thursday of each month from 1- 2 p.m.
• Dementia Live – a high-impact immersive experience to help caregivers develop a deeper understanding of cognitive impairment and sensory changes. This will be an ongoing offering at various locations and dates/times.

For more information about the above programs, please contact Kandace Gray at (910) 274-0343.

Also offered is the New Hanover Scam Jam, aimed at educating seniors about the hazards of emerging attempts to scam people out of money. This will be hosted on September 12, 2023, at the Senior Resource Center. For more information about the Scam Jam, contact Caylee Weaver at cweaver@capefearcog.org or Jeffrey Lee at jlee@nhcgov.com.