Commun ty Matters Topeka Presbyterian Manor
December 2015
Colds and flu are back in season As we near the peak months for cold and flu season, it’s a good time to review tips for prevention and treatment. Getting the flu vaccine is still one of the best things you can do for your health in wintertime. There is no truth to the myth that you can catch the illness from the vaccine. The injection contains only a killed version of the virus. People 65 years or older run a higher risk of complications from the flu, as do people with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, emphysema, heart disease, and diabetes. It can, however, take up to two weeks for the flu vaccine to take effect, so the earlier, the better. But they are usually available through February. Good hand-washing routines are another top defense against illness. Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 30 seconds, or use alcohol-based sanitizer, whenever you have been out in public -- especially in a community living environment. COLDS, continued on page 4
Holiday happenings Dec. 9: Assisted living and independent living Christmas open houses. Pictures will start at 4:30 p.m. and food will be served at 5 p.m. A goodwill offering will be accepted. Dec. 15: Health care Christmas open house Pictures will start at 4:30 p.m. and food will be served at 5 p.m. A goodwill offering will be accepted.
Donate your vehicle to help senior citizens The season of giving is here. Wouldn’t it be great to know that your vehicle donation helped seniors who have outlived their financial resources receive the care they need this year? Turn that unneeded vehicle into holiday cheer and receive a tax deduction! We accept many donation types, including cars, RVs, boats, planes and more. Donating your vehicle will help seniors who have outlived their financial resources at a Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America campus in so many ways. Call us at 844-490-GIVE (4483) or visit TopekaPresbyterianManor. org/Vehicle_Donations, fill out the form, and we’ll take care of the rest. Each year, Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America provides more than $4 million in charitable care. Our seniors need your support; a donated vehicle can help in so many ways ‘Tis the season, give for a reason.
To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Amber Lopez, activity director, at alopez@pmma.org.
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Community Matters December 2015
Potential treatments ahead for Alzheimer’s disease
When geriatrician and neuroscientist Dr. Howard Fillit went to medical school in the early 1970s, he’d never heard of Alzheimer’s disease. Since 1998, though, Fillit has directed the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, which supports the search for effective treatments for the disease.
“I’ve seen in my lifetime amazing progress,” Fillit said Tuesday at a press briefing to discuss some of the more promising research his organization is funding. “We have caught up… to understanding as much about the
America that cannot be prevented, slowed or cured.”
biological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease as we know about cancer and heart disease.” But although scientists have cured mice of Alzheimer’s hundreds of times, all the basic knowledge that they have accumulated has yet to translate into new treatments for patients, Fillit said. He predicts that is about to change. “In three to five years, we’re going to have potentially more than one drug approved that has some diseasemodifying effect,” Fillit said, noting that nearly 100 human trials of potential Alzheimer’s treatments are now underway. No Cure As of Now
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Alzheimer’s disease affects an estimated 5.1 million Americans 65 and older, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, which notes on its website that the disease “is the only cause of death in the top 10 in
What’s your secret artistic talent?
An upcoming edition of Community Matters will focus on Art is Ageless®. The Art is Ageless® program encourages residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through an annual art competition and exhibit, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions. What talent have you discovered? If you’ve got a story about what inspires you to create, contact Activity Director Amber Lopez, and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.
And since aging is the leading Thinkstock risk factor for Alzheimer’s, the numbers of affected Americans will only explode as boomers get older, unless effective treatments can at least stave off the disease. In 10 years, the number of Americans 65 and older with Alzheimer’s is expected to hit 7.1 million – an increase of 40 percent over 2015, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Much of the research focus has been on drugs to rid the brain of amyloid plaque, deposits of a protein whose role in Alzheimer’s has been widely debated. According to a 20-year-old hypothesis, the build-up of amyloid in the brain causes memory loss in Alzheimer’s. However, anti-amyloid drugs have failed in large clinical trials, raising questions about the role of amyloid plaque in Alzheimer’s.
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Viruses can live on hard surfaces for up to eight hours.
• Rest, so your body and mind can recover.
If you do get ill, follow these recommendations:
• Call the doctor if you have a fever that is not controlled by over-thecounter fever reducers, if you have a • Eat what you can. This will maintain severe cough, or if you cannot keep your energy to help your body fight any fluids or food down. the virus. If you don’t have much appetite, at least try simple foods like • Stay home rather than coming white rice or soup. to community meals and group activities. This will help contain the • Drink a lot of fluids, but avoid virus so you don’t spread it to others. caffeinated drinks like coffee and All residents can request to have colas; they can dehydrate you further. meals delivered to them, even in apartments.
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Community Matters December 2015
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