HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR
Caregiver Retreat
Our Caregiver Retreat gave local caregivers a chance to step back, breathe, and focus on their own well-being. The day was filled with insightful talks, a guided nature walk, and meaningful moments of rest and connection. It was a reminder that caring for the caregiver is just as important as caring for their loved one.
Leading the Way in Brain Health
AlzOC’s inaugural brain health conference drew 300 attendees and featured a collection of expert speakers who presented on varied topics including the power of neuroplasticity, understanding what you can and can’t change about dementia risk, and other vital topics. Attendees gained a deeper understanding of how to nurture their brain health and key factors that may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline later in life. Here are some insights from some of the presenters.
BRAIN HEALTH INSIGHT | Lauren Weiss, Alzheimer’s Orange County
On setting health goals
“The problem is a lot of the times our goals are so big and broad. ‘I want to be healthier.’ ‘I want to lose weight,’ but there’s no concrete, ‘How do I get that going?’ So what we want to do is we want to take our big goal and turn it into a SMART goal. A SMART goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound making it easier to manage and stick to.”
BRAIN HEALTH INSIGHT | Dr. Joshua Grill, UCI MIND
On the power of sleep
“It is now clear that when we sleep, we cleanse our brain. In fact, one of the things we clean from our brain while we sleep is the beta-amyloid protein, the buildup of which forms the plaques seen in the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s.”
BRAIN HEALTH INSIGHT | Dr. Michael Yassa, UCI
On what actually changes in a normal, healthy aging brain
“As we get older, we’re not losing brain cells and neurons, but they are changing. What’s changing is their capacity to make connections with one another.”
Did you know?
CARING FOR CAREGIVERS
Behind every person living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias are the compassionate caregivers carrying a weight no one should carry alone. Alzheimer’s Orange County is here to walk alongside them.
