:: Living with Alzheimer's ::
“Let’s take a walk; we can go to the
library,” she says optimistically after taking the picture out of
his hands. He had been staring at the old photograph for nearly
fifteen minutes. He agrees to the walk, and she hands him his
hat—the old-fashioned kind, gray and rumpled—and helps him button
his coat. “Maureen was a beautiful woman,” he says dazedly to her.
“Do you want to hear the poem I wrote for her?” Without pausing for
an answer, he begins to recite the poem. She politely listens to the
same poem that she hears a few times a day. He is referencing his
wife—Maureen—who had died several years before the disease began to
ravage his mind. Today is a good day; some days he still believes
Maureen is alive.
As
they walk down the sidewalk to the small college campus where he had
once served as president, they pass buildings named after him and
students who recognize him. “Hi Dr. Wright!,” they say as he passes
by. He smiles a goofy grin and tips his hat. He appreciates the
attention, although he can’t explain why he receives it. Sadness
hits her often as she realizes the hopelessness of his situation. A
brilliant and learned scholar, he devoted his life to research,
teaching, and writing, and now he is losing the mind that once held
such a passion for knowledge. A man once stubbornly independent is
now completely dependent on other people.
As they approach a group of students, he decides to stop and talk.
“This,” he says as he introduces her to the group, “is my friend
Anna.” Anna’s heart sinks and she smiles bleakly at the group.
“Maybe tomorrow,” she thinks, ‘he will remember that I am his
daughter.”
The affects of Alzheimer’s disease can be devastating, not just to
the person diagnosed, but to the family members and loved ones who
interact with individuals experiencing such a hopeless disease. Over
five million people in the United States suffer from Alzheimer’s
disease, and millions of others are left with the grief over a
parent, grandparent, sibling, or spouse struggling with the disease.
Many of these people become caretakers, devoting their lives to
caring for their loved one, often times without any recognition of
their dedication. Some experience denial and they begin to distance
themselves from the loved one that no longer understands or
recognizes them. And others are left with loneliness from the sudden
loss in relationship with someone who used to be their closest
companion. Alzheimer’s is possibly one of the most heartbreaking
diseases simply because of the difficult emotional effects that come
alongside the disease’s uncontrollable progression. It has often
been described as a continuous roller coaster ride as many
Alzheimer’s patients live with this disease for 8 to 10 years after
diagnosis – often their physical health remaining relatively good.
Years ago, many people believed memory loss to be “old people’s
disease” or a result of poor diet, heavy smoking, or exposure to
high levels of aluminum. However, experts and researchers now
realize these memory loss symptoms may be a serious illness and not
just a natural part of aging. The danger surrounding Alzheimer's is
real; Alzheimer's patients often forget simple things like sense of
direction or the difference between hot and cold. In the final
stages, many start to forget the most basic things like eating, and
they require 24-hour monitoring. At this time, although the Food and
Drug Administration has approved some drugs that temporarily
stabilize or slow some of the effects of Alzheimer’s, there is no
cure for Alzheimer’s disease and no way to stop the progression of
the disease. There is much research left to be done.
One
thing that is undeniable about Alzheimer’s is the necessity of
continued and thorough research of the disease. The cost for
Alzheimer’s care is increasing dramatically as Alzheimer’s patients
live longer due to overall improvements in medicine. The Alzheimer's
Association says that the direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's
and other dementia amount to more than $148 billion annually. In
2005, Medicare spent $91 billion on beneficiaries with Alzheimer's,
and that number is likely to double in the next ten years because of
the aging baby boomer population. Additionally, costs associated
with caregivers are also set to rise. Federally, we must strengthen
our commitment to those impacted by Alzheimer’s by increasing
funding for disease research and promoting public education of the
risk factors associated with disease. Providing funding for research
will allow us to focus on prevention and cures, resulting in a
difference in overall health care costs.
I recently cosponsored H.R. 1560, the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act
of 2007. This legislation increases the authorization level for
Alzheimer’s disease research funding to $1.3 billion and
reauthorizes important research programs, like the aging process
regarding women. The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act would also
establish Alzheimer’s disease as a priority at the National
Institute on Aging. It would require the Department of Health and
Human Services to host a National Summit on Alzheimer’s to examine
the current National Institutes of Health research agenda,
prioritize federally-supported Alzheimer’s initiatives, and require
a report to Congress within 180 days of the summit.
The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act authorizes grants to provide
Alzheimer’s disease education and training programs for health
professionals and would require the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to carry out projects to reduce the risk of developing
Alzheimer’s. These projects would encourage individuals to seek
early intervention in the course of the disease.
Because Alzheimer’s does not only affect the person directly
diagnosed, the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act would also provide
assistance to caregivers by establishing a National Alzheimer’s Call
Center. The 24-hours a day, 7-days a week call center would be
staffed with trained professionals who would provide expert advice
and referral services to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease,
caregivers, health professionals, and the public.
Alzheimer’s disease research funding provides the tools needed to
touch those who have been touched by Alzheimer’s disease. While we
cannot turn back the clock for loved-ones diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s, we can move forward with Alzheimer’s disease research
in the hope that one day that research will result in a cure for
this physically and emotionally devastating disease. For more
information on Alzheimer’s disease, including early detection signs,
support for caregivers, and a list of helpful publications
available, please visit
http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/.
:: Celebrate Jamestown ::
Four hundred years
ago, three English ships sailed for five months to reach the land we
now know as the United States of America. When they arrived, 104
English men walked off the boats looking to find prosperity and a
new beginning in a land they would call Virginia. They sailed
inland, up a river they would call the James and onto a settlement
they would name Jamestown, after their king.
Jamestown’s humble beginnings were hard and showed little of the
prosperity the settlers had hoped for. The first year of existence
was filled with drought, disease and starvation. For the first few
years, death and failure reigned. The colony was plagued with
malaria, and many suffered from living in harsh conditions and drinking
polluted water, were attacked by Powhatan Indians, and suffered under
severe drought. By January of 1608, only 38 settlers remained alive.
But in pursuit of prosperity and with the will to persevere, the
community managed to endure, and it is now celebrated as the first
permanent colony. In 1994, archaeologists uncovered remnants of
Jamestown, revealing many details thought to be lost in history. The
many artifacts diggers have found prove that the settlers were hard
workers; they produced tools, glassware and precious metals. The men
towed the dirt, sticks and water to make the first brick to build
houses and a wall around Jamestown. They tried their hand at growing
crops, such as corn and tobacco. Also found were many remnants
signaling that assistance was given by the Native Americans living
among them. Excavators found Indian pottery, tools for working
stone, and many arrowheads.
This weekend marks the 400th anniversary and commemoration of the
Jamestown settlement. It is a time to appreciate and celebrate the
settlers’ hard work and perseverance that created history. For more
information on events and activities celebrating Jamestown this
weekend, visit
http://www.historyisfun.org/anniversary.htm. For information on
events, guided tours at the Jamestown Settlement, or opportunities
to volunteer during the summer, visit
www.jamestown2007.org.
Congressman Forbes recently signed on to a
resolution of Congress honoring Jamestown, as the first permanent
settlement of the United States. To learn more, visit:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:hconres117:.
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