Community Matters Aberdeen Village
September 2016
LEAP! is building a better brain In one way or another, we’ve all been impacted by the effects of Alzheimer’s, whether it be a friend, neighbor or loved one who’s had this devastating disease. But that doesn’t mean we’re completely powerless, as there are many ways one can optimize brain health.
Resident focuses on future after seeing double
Aberdeen Village residents recently discovered this as they took a LEAP! through a new Alzheimer’s prevention program beginning in August 2016.
Resident Beth Riner tries to see the good in every situation, and is known for her positive outlook and willingness to help others. What some may not know, however, is that Beth went through a difficult time when a health crisis threatened her very life. She not only lived, but thrived, and has taken full advantage of each and every day she was given thereafter. She shares her story with us:
The program originated in the Alzheimer’s Disease Center at Kansas University Hospital. Dr. Jeff Burns, co-director of the center, created the program. LEAP! is an acronym for Lifestyle Enrichment for Alzheimer’s Prevention.
“When I was 44 with a severe headache, I went for my annual eye checkup. On the eye chart I saw two E’s, and said, ‘The red one is at the right, above the black one.’ The doctor halted the exam, instructing me to go home and expect a phone call from a neurologist. Once I was hospitalized, a saintly doctor took me through a battery of tests and diagnosed me with a cerebral aneurysm. (CAT scans and MRIs were not yet in use.) The severe headaches did not subside. I didn’t eat.
ALZHEIMERS, continued on page 2 CEO, continued on page 4
DOUBLE, continued on page 2
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