After nearly two years without state funding, SIU School of Medicine’s Memory and Aging Network, a program of the Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (CADRD), will close unless it can raise $500,000 by May 31.
If Alzheimer’s patients who receive Medicaid could stay at home just one month longer (instead of being placed into long-term care facilities), the state could save $16 million a year. Programs like the Memory and Aging Network help patients stay at home longer.
There are several ways your gift can support the work of the Memory and Aging Network for years to come. Visit us here to learn more.
Together we can provide hope, preserve memories and make life better for thousands of  Central and Southern Illinois patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia and their families.

What if your husband came up to you and asked where his wife is? Even though you have been side by side for years, he suddenly doesn’t recognize you. Would you know what to do or how to respond?

Meet Carl Oblinger and learn how the Network has helped him and his wife.

SIU School of Medicine’s Memory and Aging Network does. Greg Kyrouac, director of the outreach program, says the first rule of care for Alzheimer’s patients to never argue.

“Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s will make loved ones do things you never thought imaginable,” Kyrouac explains. “They might wander naked down your street, attempt to drive off unbeknownst to you, and even strike loved ones. Can you imagine a stranger giving you a bath? That’s what it’s like for a person with Alzheimer’s. Wouldn’t you be angry?”

For thousands of Illinoisans with Alzheimer’s, resources, including Kyrouac, patient and caregiver support groups, therapeutic classes and educational programs, could soon disappear. After nearly two years without state funding, the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s Memory and Aging Network, a program of the Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (CADRD), will close unless it can raise $500,000 by May 31.

A fund has been established through the SIU Foundation to accept donations. (www.siumed.edu/foundation/alz.html)

“These services are a lifeline for our patients and families,” says James Gilchrist, MD, professor and chair of the SIU Department of Neurology, which houses CADRD. Since the Memory and Aging Network allows patients to be seen locally, loss of the network would mean patients and their caregivers would have to travel to centers in Springfield, Chicago, St. Louis or Indianapolis for specialized evaluation and follow-up in the future.

What does this mean for the hundreds of patients? “Patients will likely have to be cared for in long-term care facilities sooner than if they could stay at home,” says Tom Ala, MD, interim director of the CADRD. “Some of these facilities cost nearly eight times more than home health or adult day services. This translates to more debt for the state, since in the long run the state of Illinois ends up covering the cost of care for roughly one-half of the elderly in long-term care.”

These resources are vital to the patients’ quality of life and their ability to stay at home, Gilchrist and Ala agree. The network also supports a patient registry, which promotes research to advance understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and investigate treatment options. Patients and providers will lose access to educational and therapeutic programs and have fewer opportunities to participate in clinical trials. With your donations, you can help save the Network and its resources. Visit siumed.edu/foundation/alz/html. To learn more about the Memory and Aging Network, visit www.siumed.edu/alz.

Written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine
Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes, but approximately 25% of them don’t know they have it. By 2050, researchers predict that 1 in 3 Americans will have diabetes.
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which a person’s body does not produce or properly process sugar. Sara Lopinski, SIU registered dietitian, says two groups of individuals are at risk for diabetes: Americans and individuals who sit at a desk most of the day, don’t get much exercise and don’t eat a healthy diet.
The prevalence of diabetes in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. The typical high-calorie, low-exercise American lifestyle has become a driving factor in this unfortunate health crisis. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, blindness and a number of other life-threatening medical complications.
Find out if you’re at risk for developing type 2 diabetes by taking a quick Diabetes Risk Test here. After answering some simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors, you’ll receive your score. If you are at a high risk for diabetes, you can minimize your chances of developing the disease by exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking and eating healthy.
Copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois

Ever wonder how much screen time the average child gets these days? The CDC has some interesting facts about screen time and how to encourage kids to stay active. Click here.

Written by Laura Bottom, SIU Center for Family Medicine
Debate over vaccinations for children continues, but according to family physician Dr. Michal Dynda, vaccines are perfectly safe and effective. “Vaccines help keep many diseases at very low levels and reduce the number of children and adults who become ill,” Dr. Dynda says. “We have reduced the number of these disease; however, they are not completely gone because not everyone gets vaccinated.” Nearly all healthy children can be safely vaccinated, but if you have concerns, speak with your doctor.
Vaccines prevent a long list of diseases: Hepatitis A & B, mumps, measles, rabies, influenza and human papillomavirus (HPV), to name a few. “Vaccinating children is important in preventing many common illnesses that can result in lifelong effects,” Dr. Dynda says. “They also reduce the potential of spread to other children.” Dr. Dynda explains that several illnesses such as polio and meningitis have been almost eliminated, and the number of chicken pox cases has decreased dramatically.
Vaccines reduce the risk of infection by working with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to the disease. The best way to protect your child from certain diseases is by getting them vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a schedule of vaccines in childhood to prevent 16 diseases. “The purpose of the recommended immunization schedule is to protect infants and children by providing immunity early in life, before they are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases,” Dr. Dynda says.
Certain vaccinations are given in combinations, which Dr. Dynda explains is safe for children. For example, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis are given together in one shot, and a polio vaccine may be given at the same office visit.
And, vaccinations aren’t just for kids. Dr. Dynda also stresses the importance of adults staying current with their vaccinations. “The immunity for some of the preventable diseases can fade with time; therefore, adults should get booster vaccinations. Adults may have never been given the immunizations because it was not available when they were kids. Plus, depending on other factors like age, lifestyle, travel and high risk conditions, new immunizations are recommended to prevent illnesses from affecting these adults.”
Not sure if you’re up to date with your vaccines? Call SIU Center for Family Medicine at 217-545-8000 to schedule an appointment.
Copyright ©, SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois