Kensington Park is proud to present the next panel event in our ongoing Care, Cure, Prevent discussions.
Kensington Senior Living is working in collaboration with UCLA, Cedars Siani, USC, UCSF, and Stanford to help families everywhere better understand Alzheimer’s.
Virtual panels like these are designed to educate our residents and their loved ones who share an interest in senior caregiving.
At the upcoming Nov. 10 event, Lauren Miller Rogen will moderate a dynamic discussion panel on Alzheimer’s—ongoing research and options for treatment.
Ms. Rogen is a co-founder of HFC, a non-profit that seeks to help families affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Ms. Rogen is also a producer, screenwriter, and director, whose life was significantly and deeply affected by her mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
Guest speakers at the virtual event will discuss:
- The impacts of different brain diseases on families
- What can someone do after a diagnosis
- And how to manage changes in the family dynamic that often arise
After the discussion, registered participants can submit questions and hopefully hear them addressed during the event.
Meet our guest speakers
But first, let’s meet the panel participants.
Doris Molina-Henry
Ms. Molina-Henry is an Assistant Professor from Keck School of Medicine Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute at USC and is part of the leadership team in San Diego.
Sarah Kremen, MD
Dr. Kremen serves as the Director of the Neurobehavioral Program at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center. She did her residency at UCLA (neurology) and her fellowship training at the Greater Los Angeles VA Medical Center. Her focus relates to the detection and evaluation of dementia.
Sharon Sha, MD
Dr. Sha is a Stanford University Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology, the Medical Director of the Neuroscience Clinical Trials Group, and co-director for many other centers.
Charles Windon, MD
Dr. Windon is an assistant professor at the San Francisco Memory and Aging Center at the Univ. of California. He works in the clinical care and management of people with cognitive challenges and memory decline.
Leila Parand, MD
Dr. Parand is the Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurology at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. Her specialties include Memory Disorders, Alzheimer’s, Neurology, and Dementia.
At Kensington Park, we are very grateful to all our professional partners for sharing their experiences and knowledge that can help enrich our care and services.
We encourage event participants to search through our website for more information about the comprehensive spectrum of support and programming available for those who are dealing with memory loss challenges.
Navigating life after dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis
If you or someone you love has received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, one of the best actions to take is to educate yourself as much as possible.
Education and information can help you anticipate how the disease might progress—and what short and long-term challenges you might experience.
Some excellent resources include the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, the Alzheimer’s Association, and ADEAR.
Other steps you might take include:
- Find local service organizations and support groups
- Do some future planning—legal, financial, etc.
- Set up regular medical care consultations for patients and caregivers
Alzheimer’s disease hereditary risk factors
Recently, researchers identified certain genes that might make developing Alzheimer’s more likely (“risk genes”). They have also discovered other rare genes that guarantee a person will develop the disease (“deterministic genes”).
A common risk gene called apolipoprotein E (APOE) is associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s. This gene has three common forms:
- APOE e2 is the least common of the three and reduces the risk of developing the disease
- The more common APOE e4 increases the risk of development at an early age and can be found in 15-20% of all people
- APOE e3 is the most common—but it doesn’t seem to affect the risk of developing Alzheimer’s
It’s important to remember the APOE e4 gene does not absolutely mean that a person will develop the disease. Also, experts don’t recommend a genetic test for the late-onset form of the disease since results from such a test can be difficult to interpret.
Breakthroughs in research and treatment
As of this year, almost 6.5 million people in America have Alzheimer’s, increasing the need for research.
As a result of ongoing research, a “highly accurate” blood test for the disease was recently developed at the Washington University School of Medicine.
The research study looked at almost 500 patients across three continents and showed that this new test provided a “robust measure” in detecting the plaques associated with Alzheimer’s.
Furthermore, the detection was possible even among those not yet experiencing any signs of cognitive decline.
Lecanemab
Also in breakthrough news, Biogen and Eisai Co Ltd recently announced that their experimental Alzheimer’s drug, Lecanemab, slowed functional and cognitive decline in patient trials.
Lecanemab showed that it slowed the progress of the disease by 27%—giving some hope to patients and their loved ones. This new medication could mean a significant improvement in treatment options.
Kensington Park Senior Living—partners in caregiving
A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be overwhelming—both for the patient and their loved ones. To quote the famous rock climber Yvon Chouinard: “Fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all.”
Education and professional insight can help reduce some of the fear and stress that can afflict caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients.
Team members at Kensington Park have gained years of experience caring for Alzheimer’s patients. Our residents’ daily needs and care have given our team valuable insights into what families might need.
These events can be integral to Our Promise to treat residents as if they were our very own families. Panel discussions like these help educate and illuminate the facts, hopefully giving some relief to caregivers and patients.
Are you struggling with caregiving for a loved one with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis?
Reach out to Kensington Park and see what options might be available. Our memory care and dementia communities are specifically designed for residents with this challenging situation.
From partnering with some of the leading experts in the study of Alzheimer’s to our top-level rehabilitation and therapeutic practices, Kensington Park Senior Living is here to help.