Federal Update

A (Task) Force in Congress
Every 68 seconds someone in America develops Alzheimer’s. So, every minute that passes without action from our elected leaders increases the devastating impact this disease has on families, caregivers and our nation. The arrival of the 113th U.S. Congress earlier this month brought a number of new faces to our nation’s capital, along with many familiar ones. And for many Americans, it brought a hope that members of Congress would avoid the partisan gridlock seen in previous years. Thankfully, the issue of fighting Alzheimer’s disease spans partisan lines.

The Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease is a clear example of bipartisanship and has been instrumental in raising awareness and securing funding for research. Led in the House by Co-Chairs Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Senator Susan M. Collins (R-ME) and Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) in the Senate, the Task Force is working to bring the mounting Alzheimer's crisis to the forefront of the congressional agenda.
Please urge your Senator(s) to join the Task Force today.

25 years of making our VOICE heard
Since 1989, Alzheimer's advocates have gathered in Washington, D.C., for the Alzheimer's Association Advocacy Forum to urge elected officials to make Alzheimer's disease a national priority. These advocacy efforts have produced important results through the years, but there is much more to be done.

Join us in our nation's capital April 22-24, 2013, for the 25th Alzheimer's Association Advocacy Forum, the nation’s premier advocacy event. Online registration is now open!


Meet your Member of Congress!
Do you want to take the next step in moving our mission forward? Are you willing to speak out on Alzheimer’s issues? Take part in our District-Forum-District program.

Please join your fellow advocates and Alzheimer’s association staff as we begin our annual series of meetings with members of Congress. Initial meetings are being held in your local congressional district from January to March, with follow-up meetings in Washington D.C. to take place during the Advocacy Forum. A third meeting will be held during May and June back in congressional district offices.

These meetings are absolutely critical to ensuring our legislative priorities are acted upon quickly by this Congress. Contact your local chapter and get involved today.

Wow it has been ages since I have been on this blog. So you can imagine how  supprised I was to see people are still reading it.   My father in law died almost 9 yrs now since this terrible disease hit him.  I miss him very much. I think fondly of him often and talk out loud to him with the hope he hears me.

At work the other day, I was lucky enough to have a couple of patients with dementia/ alzheimer's.  I love those patients, especially since I usually notice not to many family memebers really understand what is going on with them. I love to try and explain what their loved one is going through and offer to give them one of my books.

So what are you going to boost your mind delaying the onset of dementia?

 Keep your mind active and sharp through various activities. Keep the mind healthy. Mental stimulation helps ward off memeory loss.  Watch a movie -- Watch a ball game -- Work on a cross word puzzle -- Join a chess club or gardening group -- Volunteer in your community -- Work a part time job -- Have a hobby- Ear a healthy diet -- Includ physical activity during your day, at least 30 minutes to increase your blood flow to your brain.

I wrote my Alzheimer's book about the daily trials and tribulations of taking care of my father in law in the hope to help other families who are dealing with the same thing.  It is important for caretakers to know that they're not alone, that others have experienced the same frustrations. Sometimes a caretaker feels very isolated -- the world, after all, doesn't stop, despite the sense that your world is frozen in time.

Thank you and God Bless You all.
Marie Fostino 
http://mariefostino.weebly.com/alzheimers-book.html