Presentation Notes from September 2022 Meeting

Photo courtesy of Chris Smith

Joel Loiacono, Regional Director of the Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington Alzheimer’s Association, reminded the membership of some important aspects of the disease.

• Dementia is not a disease (there are 70 different types), but Alzheimer’s is.

• Alzheimer’s occurs more in women and black and hispanic cultures. 120,00 people in WA are affected.

• Alzheimer’s was first identified in a 52 year old patient in 1906.

• Age is the largest risk factor, but substance abuse, dramatic brain injury, and cardiovascular disease can contribute to its occurrence.

• Lifestyle, luckily, can contribute to treating Alzheimer’s including sleep, diet and social & cognitive engagement.

• The federal government spends $3.5 billion/year on the disease.

• The Alzheimer’s Association is the largest private funder of Alzheimer’s research at $310 M.

• Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s no longer requires an autopsy. Be sure to see a specialist beyond your primary care giver for a diagnosis (a neurologist, neuropsychologist, or gerontologist).

• Other causes of cognitive dysfunction that are NOT Alzheimer’s include thyroid problems, low Vitamin B, medication interactions, and hearing problems.

• NARFE is a significant contributor to Alzheimer’s research.

• There are research trails and matches at ALZ.org.

NARFE can help lobby in Olympia and DC for greater success in supporting the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Notes from Joanne Welch, member Chapter 32

Book review: The Ceiling Outside - The Science and Experience of the Disrupted Mind by Noga Arikha

Both of our fathers succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease. And other friends and family have had a prolonged progression of dementia. This is a well written, thoughtful book. The author observed sessions with psychiatrists, neurologists, and their patients. This book is In the tradition of Oliver Sacks, but incorporates up-to-date breakthrough science as well. A diabetic woman awakens from a coma having forgotten the last ten years of her life. A Haitian immigrant has nightmares that begin bleeding into his waking hours. A retired teacher loses the use of her right hand due to pain of no known origin. Noga Arikha began studying these patients and their confounding symptoms in order to explore how our physical experiences inform our identities. Soon after she initiated her work, the question took on unexpected urgency, as Arikha’s own mother began to show signs of Alzheimer’s disease. A quote from the book: “As her mother slips into the fog of dementia, a philosopher grapples with the unbreakable links between our bodies and our sense of self.”

Weaving together stories of her subjects’ troubles and her mother’s decline, Arikha searches for some meaning in the science she has set out to study. The result is an unforgettable journey across the ever-shifting boundaries between ourselves and each other.”

Submitted by Chris Smith, member of Chapter 32

FEDcon 2022

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Rafael, NARFE

FEDcon22, took place August 21-23, 2022, in Scottsdale, AZ, is the premier training conference for the federal community. Attendees will engage in leadership development, receive comprehensive federal benefits and financial planning information and make connections with colleagues from across the federal community. Arlene Patton attended from the Spokane Chapter (top row, 6th from right).