USA2 SPOTLIGHT

A June 19, 2020 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s blog post by Conor O’Brien, son of UsA2 advocate Greg O’Brien, reflected on his dad for Father’s Day. Greg has early onset Alzheimer’s disease and Conor is his frequent co-pilot. He remembers the time he broke his arm playing football and how his dad remained by his side. “Now my dad is scared, and I’m holding his hand as he stares down the demons of his Alzheimer’s disease. We have much in common—physically, emotionally, and in how we often think. Over the years, my dad has sacrificed, as all good fathers, to care for me, my brother Brendan and sister Colleen,” wrote Conor.

A June 18, 2020 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s blog post by journalist Greg O’Brien shared some thoughts as Father’s Day was fast approaching. O’Brien lost many family members to Alzheimer’s disease, and now it has come for him. According to O’Brien, “On a shelf in my studio is a small ceramic elephant holding a fishing pole. I purchased it years ago from a gallery in Santa Fe, a cerebral place of awe-inspiring natural light. The ceramic serves to remind me daily of the need for retention and focus. The artwork has a place of prominence. It is the elephant in the room.”

Join our next Alzheimer's Talks, “COVID, Diverse Communities & Older Adults.” An expert panel will discuss COVID-19's effects on family caregivers in diverse communities, and the work social service providers are doing with seniors in these communities. You’ll also hear about the latest A-LIST survey results about the pandemic's impact on the Alzheimer's community. Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 2pm (EST). Support for this Alzheimer's Talks is provided by educational grants from naviHealth, the Eisai USA Foundation and Biogen.

(ICYMI) A June 17, 2020 WellMed Charitable Foundation post featured UsA2 Founding Board member and advocate Meryl Comer, in a Caregiver SOS On Air podcast. Comer shared her experience caring for both her late husband, and her late mother, who each had AD. She speaks about her inspiration to become an advocate and the A-LIST initiative, which ‘takes the pulse’ of the Alzheimer’s community.