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Each August, the Cowden family comes together and celebrates the life of their family patriarch with a golf tournament. Since its inception in 2004, the tournament — organized by brothers Michael and Jerry Cowden — has raised nearly $100,000 for research and local programs.

Just before Christmas,  the Cowden family announced that the tournament’s final tally for 2009 was $25,000. At right, Chapter CEO Cathy James accepts the proceeds from Jerry Cowden.

Learn more about the tournament, its namesake and ways to get involved at the tournament’s official website.

Tickets can be purchased now for A Night to Remember, presented by Brookdale Senior Living. The 2010 event is scheduled for April 9, 2010, from 7-10 p.m., at Valentino’s Banquet Hall in New Hartford.

Tickets are $50 for general admission and $75 for a VIP ticket and can be purchased by phone at 315-617-4025 x117 or online at our secure ticket center. General admission tickets only are for sale at Curves fitness centers in Herkimer, Little Falls, New Hartford and Utica. Guests who purchase a ticket at a Curves location will receive a free aqua massage from Body Solutions Salon & Spa in Whitesboro.

A Night to Remember is aimed at pampering local women, who sacrifice spending time on themselves as they juggle busy personal, family and professional lives. It features local therapists and aestheticians providing massages, manicures and other services. Businesses, including jewelers, artisans and clothing shops, will display their products to the more than 250 people expected to attend. A new VIP ticket level  offers exclusive benefits, including one-hour of early access to exhibitors and activities, a special food and wine pairing and VIP gift. The event is presented by Brookdale Senior Living Clare Bridge Clinton and Villas Sherman Brook. Last year’s event attracted nearly 200 people.

The National Alliance for Caregiving, a partner organization of the Alzheimer’s Association, published its 2009 report on caregiving. This is the first major update to their statistical report since 2004.

The report provides insight into what the American caregiver looks like and their attitudes toward caregiving. There are 43.5 million caregivers in the United States. What is no surprise is the leading condition for which they provide care — Alzheimer’s disease. AD is identified in 15 percent of all caregiving situations.

Among the other figures are:

• The average American caregiver is a 49.9 year old married, white female that works full-time and is college-educated.
• 19 percent of the U.S. population is a caregiver of someone 50 years of age or older.
• 74 percent are employed. More than 60 percent of those have had to leave work early, arrive late, take time off or make another work accommodation due to their role.

The full report is available as a PDF and can be downloaded from the Alliance.

When a person wanders from home, the first call goes to 911. First responders and emergency personnel are dispatched by police and fire agencies to find the person who wandered and return them to the safety of their home.

As anyone who has known or provided care for a person with dementia knows, the behaviors and communication issues which accompany the disease can be challenging. The Alzheimer’s Association is working with police, fire and other emergency responders to provide training and strategy.

Pictured above are Michael Massurin, the Chapter’s Central Regional Director, and Town of Dewitt Chief of Police Eugene J. Conway. The town sponsored a series of trainings for law enforcement, which were conducted by Massurin. The Dewitt, Baldwinsville and North Syracuse police departments were represented as were the Onondaga County Park Rangers.

If you are a first responder and believe your agency could benefit from our dementia training, contact us today.

In 1988, we moved into our building here at 441 West Kirkpatrick Street. A gift from Donald Moore, the building provided a home for both our Alzheimer’s day program and the chapter’s support services. More than 20 years later, the Chapter is running strong. The day program welcomes between 20-25 people each day, while the office staff has grown to meet the needs of the community.

We outlined the renovation of the day program’s kitchen this past August. Last evening marked its official unveiling. An invitation-only party welcomed day program families past and present, and local supporters to see the fruits of our labor. Pictured above (from left) are Chapter CEO Cathy James, Chapter Board President Larry Malfitano and Connie Foote, from The Carriage House Foundation. The trio cut the ribbon and officially opened the kitchen.

If you weren’t there, we invite you to watch Cathy’s remarks and the ribbon cutting on YouTube!

We’ve had a location change on our Skaneateles support group. Please make a note of the following:

Peregrine Home Care Services
1551 East Genesee St.
1st Wednesday, 6 p.m.
Chapter Staff: (315) 472-4201

Last year, we packed ballrooms in Utica and Johnson City for our first A Night to Remember events. It seemed that everyone who attended stopped to tell us that they would be back next year. Today’s the day to get your calendars ready and make plans to join us for 2010.

A Night to Remember returns for the new year in new locations. Join us in the Mohawk Valley on April 9, from 7-10 p.m., at Valentino’s Banquet Hall in New Hartford. In the Southern Tier, join us from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on April 29 at The Binghamton Regency.

This is the second annual event in both areas. A Night to Remember is aimed at pampering local women, who sacrifice spending time on themselves as they juggle busy personal, family and professional lives. It features local therapists and aestheticians providing massages, manicures and other services. Businesses, including jewelers, artisans and clothing shops, will display their products to the more than 250 people expected to attend. A new VIP ticket level offers exclusive benefits, which are outlined at our website. In the Mohawk Valley, the event is presented by Brookdale Senior Living Clare Bridge Clinton and Villas Sherman Brook. Susquehanna Nursing and Rehabilitation Center presents the Southern Tier edition.

General admission tickets for both events are $50 and VIP tickets are $75. A Night to Remember tickets can be purchased online or over the phone. Call (315) 617-4025 x117 in the Mohawk Valley or (607) 785-7852 x106 in the Southern Tier.

Mohawk Valley Regional Director Julie Darling spoke with Channel 2 today about our own “holiday rush” — families calling our 24-hour Helpline after spending time with their families during a holiday.

Watch it online at NewsChannel2’s website.

Thanksgiving arrives on Thursday and we have some changes on tap to our schedules:

1. All Chapter offices will be closed Thursday for the holiday. Our offices will reopen on Friday.
2. Our 24-hour Helpline WILL BE OPEN to answer questions which may come up during the holiday.
3. The Kirkpatrick Day Program in Syracuse will be closed on Thursday and Friday for a long weekend. The participants and staff return on Monday, November 30.

The Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter wishes you a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

The Alzheimer’s Association advocates efforts that increase early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative fatal disease that currently affects approximately 5.3 million Americans. Alzheimer’s is a very complex disease and unfortunately today there is no quick and accurate test to determine whether a person has Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association does not support community-based memory screening in general populations. The term, “memory screening” generally refers to the use of a brief mental status test that gives a numerical score to indicate the presence or absence of cognitive impairment.

Often these brief mental tests result in “false positives” and “false negatives.”  “False positives” occur when a person fails or scores poorly on a test but does not have Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. This happens most often among ethnic minorities, persons for whom English is a second language and persons with low educational level. “False negatives” occur when a person “passes” or scores well on a test but actually does have Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. This happens most often for persons with a high educational level.

The Alzheimer’s Association strongly believes any procedure that uses a score on a brief mental status test to indicate presence or absence of cognitive impairment should only be used in a physician office or medical clinic and not in nonmedical, community settings, especially when the test is conducted by individuals without proper training. Accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease requires a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation by a qualified physician that should include: a thorough review of a person’s medical history, physical and neurological exams, laboratory tests, and imaging tests. Interviews with family members or close friends about changes in a person’s cognitive functioning and behavior should also be conducted whenever possible.  A diagnostic evaluation based on all of these elements provides the best possible assurance that the resulting diagnosis will be accurate and the appropriate follow up will be conducted.

The Alzheimer’s Association has developed a list of the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s.  If you’ve experienced any of these warning signs, it’s important that you see a physician who is experienced in diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s.

Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s

1. Memory changes that disrupt daily life.  One of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s, especially in the early stages, is forgetting recently learned information. Others including forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; relying on memory aides (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to handle on their own.
2. Challenges in planning on solving problems.  Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers which may include challenges following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work at leisure. People with Alzheimer’s often find it hard to complete daily tasks, which may include difficulty driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
4. Confusion with time or place. People with Alzheimer’s can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. In terms of perception, they may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room or they may be unable to recognize their own reflection.
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing. People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a “watch” a “hand-clock”).
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps. A person with Alzheimer’s may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they accuse others of stealing which may occur more frequently over time.
8. Decreased or poor judgment.  People with Alzheimer’s may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money or give large amounts to telemarketers. They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities.  A person with Alzheimer’s may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping with up a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced.
10. Changes in mood and personality.  The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer’s can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious.  They may be easily upset at home, at work, or with friends or in places outside of their comfort zone.