View the profile of Ann Redfield RN MSN and learn more about their background and involvement with Dementia Society of America. Volunteer | Exec Vice President Emeritus ◄ Back to Members | Ann Redfield RN MSN Exec Vice President Emeritus Volunteer | Exec Vice President Emeritus Registered Nurse. Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist. Currently Associate Principal Scientist in Clinical Risk Management at Merck & Co., Inc. Following her undergraduate degree at Duke, her work at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and her graduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Ann began a long career of giving back to her community. Ann helped spearhead the efforts to create an area homeless initiative, including a Code Blue emergency shelter program. Ann became a certified hospice volunteer and is a proponent of patient advocacy and empowerment. Ann played an instrumental role in guiding the Dementia Society of America for over 12 years. We wish Ann well in her retirement from the Board of Directors and her executive leadership position. Ann now serves as Executive Vice President Emeritus.

View the profile of Gary Kozick LCSW and learn more about their background and involvement with Dementia Society of America. Advisory Council ◄ Back to Members | Gary Kozick LCSW Advisory Council Gary Kozick is the sole proprietor of Gary Kozick Elder Care Solutions, L.L.C. providing eldercare consultation and geriatric care management for families and older adults. Gary has over 40 years of experience in healthcare, mental health, and working with older adults in settings such as home care, assisted living communities, personal care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient mental health/private practice. Gary also knows about dementia from a personal perspective having a 10-year relationship in dealing with his father’s Alzheimer’s disease, and his decline that ultimately leads to his father’s death 4 years ago. Gary Kozick is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker having received a Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University. He is also a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers, and the National Association of Social Work. Mr. Kozick is a paid Dementia Society of America part-time independent contractor, tasked with managing certain association liaison activities, as well as performing other pertinent work on behalf of the organization.

View the profile of Michael Fossel MD PhD and learn more about their background and involvement with Dementia Society of America. Advisory Council ◄ Back to Members | Michael Fossel MD PhD Advisor Council Dr. Fossel is president of Telocyte , a biotech firm targeting Alzheimer’s disease, intending to begin FDA-sponsored human trials aimed at curing the underlying disease process using telomerase therapy. His latest book, The Telomerase Revolution, discusses prospective FDA clinical trials of telomerase therapy as an effective intervention for Alzheimer’s disease. His book was lauded in both The London Times and the Wall Street Journal (as one of the five best science books of 2015). Born in 1950, Michael Fossel grew up New York, and lived in London, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Portland, and Denver. He graduated cum laude from Phillips Exeter Academy, received a joint BA and MA in psychology in four years from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and, after completing a PhD in Neurobiology at Stanford University in 1978, went on to finish his MD at Stanford Medical School in two and a half years. He was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship and taught neuroanatomy and other courses at Stanford University, where he began studying aging, emphasizing premature aging syndromes. Dr. Fossel was a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University for almost three decades and currently teaches the Biology of Aging at Grand Valley State University. He has been a member of numerous scientific organizations including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Aging Association (he was their Executive Director and served on their board of directors), the American Gerontological Society, the American Society on Aging, the American Geriatrics Society, and the Alzheimer’s Association ISTAART, among others. He has lectured at NIH and the Smithsonian Institute, and still lectures internationally. He was founding editor of the Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine (now the Rejuvenation Research). His numerous articles on aging and ethics in the Journal of the American Medical Association, In Vivo, and other academic journals have sparked frequent calls for him to speak worldwide to both medical groups and the general public. He featured prominently at IdeaCity in Toronto in June of 2014 and been interviewed by Singularity 1-on-1 regarding Alzheimer’s therapy. In 1996, Dr. Fossel published Reversing Human Aging, the first book to describe how aging works, how to reverse it, and the consequences of doing so. The book was reviewed favorably in national full page newspaper articles and in Scientific American. It has now been published in six languages. He has appeared on Good Morning America, ABC 20/20, NBC Extra, Fox Network, CNN, the BBC, the Discovery Channel, and regularly on NPR. This was the first book to ever describe the medical aspects of extending human telomeres, reversing aging, and curing age-related disease. His academic textbook, Cells, Aging, and Human Disease, was published in 2004 by Oxford University Press. An extensive look at the field, with well over four thousand references, it reviews the entire fields of telomere biology and cell senescence as they apply to human clinical diseases and aging. Still the only medical textbook on the clinical potential of telomerase, it includes in depth discussions of Alzheimer’s disease, the progerias, atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, immune senescence, skin aging, and cancer, as well as the potential for fundamentally new therapies for these diseases using telomerase therapy. His most recent book, The Telomerase Revolution, had a laudatory, full-page article and review in The London Times and the Wall Street Journal named it as one of the year’s best science books. It gives a clear explanation of how aging and age-related diseases work, and why we believe that we can now intervene in a novel and far more effective way. www.telocyte.com

View the profile of Vanessa Adams and learn more about their background and involvement with Dementia Society of America. Advisory Council ◄ Back to Members | Vanessa Adams Board Member Vanessa Wright Adams is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn with strong family ties to the Carolinas, particularly central South Carolina. A proud Alum from the University of South Carolina, she is a big fan of SEC Football. Vanessa relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona in 2006. Most of her professional life was spent in the travel and tourism industry working in various roles for a global airline but never as a flight attendant. She enjoys travel and has been to 6 out of 7 continents and because she does not like the cold she may take a pass on Antarctica. Currently, Vanessa is an independent Human Resource Contractor working for a popular tech company in Scottsdale, Arizona and a growing insurance services company in Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania. Vanessa enjoys her family & friends and has a passion for helping others. She is committed to advancing awareness about dementia. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated which is an organization dedicated to public service. In her spare time when she is not caring for her mother, she loves planning and organizing trips and special events through her destination planning company, PLAN IT AZ.

View the profile of Blaine Greenfield and learn more about their background and involvement with Dementia Society of America. Sr Vice President ◄ Back to Members | Blaine Greenfield Board Member Volunteer | Board Member, Senior Vice President & Compliance Officer Blaine taught for over 35 years at Bucks County Community College and headed his own marketing firm that assisted small- and mid-sized businesses. Six years ago, he took a new job title: “Rewirement” Expert-in-Training. As such, he continues to teach on a part-time basis, but he is also active in several community organizations- including SCORE, SART and Lessons in Leadership. He publishes an online newsletter, BLAINESWORLD . Blaine now resides with his wife in Asheville, North Carolina.

8cdcbe42-fd0a-46e8-9b12-dbe8b0e0fff7 Blog Author ◄ Back to Authors | Karen Ogden

c344b074-4c91-4c43-bbe7-4f7f22c05613 Blog Author ◄ Back to Authors | Janet Shagam Ph.D. Janet Shagam, Ph.D., is an experienced medical and science writer known for explaining complex and emotionally sensitive topics clearly. She is also a former family caregiver herself. Using both personal narrative and well-researched, expert-verified content, she guides readers through the often-confusing and challenging world of dementia care. Janet carefully escorts caregivers through the basics of dementia as a brain disorder, its accompanying behaviors, the procedures used to diagnose and stage the disease, and the legal aspects of providing care for an adult who is no longer competent. She also covers topics not usually included in other books on dementia: family dynamics, caregiver burnout, elder abuse, incontinence, finances and paying for care, the challenges same-sex families face, and coping with the eventuality of death and estate management.

Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD) and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) are Parkinson’s-plus syndromes that share some symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Corticobasal Degeneration Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) are Parkinson’s-plus syndromes, meaning that they are diseases that share some of the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease such as slowing of movements, stiffness, tremors, falls, and shuffling of the feet. They may both also cause changes in memory and thinking. People with PSP also develop problems moving their eyes, called supranuclear palsy, a wide-eyed appearance, and difficulty swallowing. Unlike Parkinson’s disease, people often fall backward instead of forward. They may also develop severe stiffness in the neck. There are several variations on the name of CBD, such as corticobasal syndrome or disease and corticobasal ganglionic degeneration. It is named after the parts of the brain that are damaged: the cortex (the outer part of the brain) and the basal ganglia (deep within the brain). Like Parkinson’s disease, slowing of movements, stiffness, tremors, falls and shuffling of the feet are seen. Problems with movements occur on one side of the body, such as stiffness, shaking, or loss of control. People with CBD may be unable to get their arms to do what they want even if they have the know-how. Sometimes, the arm on that side might move on its own, called alien limb syndrome. More information from the source: click here . Click below on the various terms to learn more about both common and more rare conditions, syndromes and diseases, that can cause, or include symptoms leading to Dementia: Dementia-Like Conditions (that may be reversible); Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI); Alzheimer's Disease (AD or ALZ) Dementia; Mixed Dementia; Vascular Dementia; Young Onset Dementia; Lewy Body Dementia (LBD); Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD); AIDS Dementia Complex (ADC); Huntington's Disease with Dementia; Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with Dementia; Parkinson's Disease (PD) with Dementia; Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury (CTE) Dementia; Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with Dementia; Down Syndrome with Dementia; Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA); Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA); Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) Dementia; Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy (LATE);*** Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Dementia; Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD); Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP); CADASIL;*** Sanfilippo Syndrome*** Batten Disease (Childhood Dementia);*** Binswanger Disease.*** Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA)*** Various Childhood Dementias*** Adult-Onset Leukoencephalopathy*** Don't see what you're looking for? Please contact us. *** Takes you to a non-DSA website. Go back to Definitions | Click Here

We also offer a CE training program for nurses, care managers, and other professionals. The program combines live-hosted discussions with pre-recorded videos. To learn more about the CE program, feel free to contact us. CE Training CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD FLYER REQUEST INFO National Association of Social Workers

Consider joining a trial if you are living with a form of Dementia or wish to participate as a healthy control subject. Dementia Clinical Trials Clinical trials are an important feature of the commercial drug discovery and disease intervention process. Consider joining a trial if you are living with a form of Dementia and meet the trial's criteria, or if you wish to participate as a healthy control subject. Important Notice: Dementia Society of America (DSA) does not provide medical advice. The contents are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The links below will open websites in a separate web browser page, so you can keep your place here. ClinicalTrials.gov- Clinical Drug Trials Database Comprehensive service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Dementia Clinical Trials for Healthy Volunteers in the U.S. This PDF file was compiled from the ClinicalTrials.gov website on September 18th, 2017, to provide a useful tool to find over 90 trials currently recruiting healthy participants as control subjects. Please follow the links provided within the document to obtain more information on specific clinical trials. CenterWatch- Dementia Clinical Drug Trials Database Search to find trials in your area, and sign-up for email alerts. Antidote.me- Dementia Clinical Drug Trials Database Search trials that match your age, location, health need and more.

Mixed vascular-degenerative Dementia is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Learn more about both common and more rare conditions. Contact us. Mixed Dementia "Autopsy studies looking at the brains of people who had Dementia suggest that a majority of those age 80 and older probably had 'Mixed Dementia ,' caused by processes related to both Alzheimer’s disease [or, other Dementia] and vascular disease. In fact, some studies indicate that mixed vascular-degenerative Dementia is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. In a person with mixed Dementia, it may not be clear exactly how many of a person’s symptoms are due to Alzheimer’s or another type of Dementia . In one study, about 40 percent of people who were thought to have Alzheimer’s were found after autopsy to also have some form of cerebrovascular disease. Several studies have found that many of the major risk factors for vascular disease also may be risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are still working to understand how underlying disease processes in Mixed Dementia influence each other. It is not clear, for example, if symptoms are likely to be worse when a person has brain changes reflecting multiple types of Dementia. Nor do we know if a person with multiple Dementias can benefit from treating one type, for example, when a person with Alzheimer’s disease controls high blood pressure and other vascular disease risk factors." Source: click here . Click below on the various terms to learn more about both common and more rare conditions, syndromes and diseases, that can cause, or include symptoms leading to Dementia: Dementia-Like Conditions (that may be reversible); Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI); Alzheimer's Disease (AD or ALZ) Dementia; Mixed Dementia; Vascular Dementia; Young Onset Dementia; Lewy Body Dementia (LBD); Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD); AIDS Dementia Complex (ADC); Huntington's Disease with Dementia; Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with Dementia; Parkinson's Disease (PD) with Dementia; Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury (CTE) Dementia; Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with Dementia; Down Syndrome with Dementia; Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA); Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA); Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) Dementia; Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy (LATE);*** Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Dementia; Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD); Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP); CADASIL;*** Sanfilippo Syndrome*** Batten Disease (Childhood Dementia);*** Binswanger Disease.*** Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA)*** Various Childhood Dementias*** Adult-Onset Leukoencephalopathy*** Don't see what you're looking for? Please contact us. *** Takes you to a non-DSA website. Go back to Definitions | Click Here

Find opportunities for free online courses and education about Dementia and caregiving. Online Training Important Notice: Dementia Society of America (DSA) does not provide medical advice. These courses are for informational purposes only; they are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider for any medical questions. Click below on the links to find free online Dementia caregiver training: Powerful Tools for Caregivers Powerful Tools for Caregivers gives you the skills to care for yourself while caring for someone else. You become a better caregiver by taking care of your health and well-being. Dementia Unplugged: Care Conversations Videos Created by the Dementia Society of America in partnership with Dementia Coach On-Call, this site offers several videos to help you care for someone living with Dementia, including driving, end-of-life, agitation, mealtimes, vacations, etc. UCLA Dementia Caregiver Videos Created by the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), you will find many videos to help you care for someone living with Dementia, which includes bathing, taking meds, hallucinations, repetitive behaviors, etc. Johns Hopkins- Free Caregiver Training and Certification "Living with Dementia: Impact on Individuals, Caregivers, Communities, and Societies." Health professionals and students, family caregivers, friends of affected individuals, and others interested in learning about Dementia and quality care will benefit from completing the 5-week course at their School of Nursing. Don't see what you're looking for? Please contact us . Go back to Education | Click Here