Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 8-6-19

Feature
Clinical Trial Seeks To Reduce, Delay Effects Of Memory Diseases
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Researchers at the Uni- versity of South Florida are conducting a Clinical trial to determine the effect brain games, and puzzles on the computer have on Alzheimer’s patients. Re- searchers are pioneering a new study that will test a training regimen designed to improve brain function.
Using a $2.7 million Na- tional Institutes of Health grant, the researchers are conducting a clinical trial for thousands of older adults, who will learn a mental ex- ercise routine focused on processing information to target cognitive improve- ments over time.
“This is a large primary prevention trial to examine if computerized cognitive exercises will reduce the risk of dementia. It is the first of its kind study that will train adults on these exercises,” Dr. Elizabeth Hudak, Research Assistant Profes- sor at the USF Morsani Col- lege of Medicine said.
The clinical trials at USF will consist of brain games
DR. ELIZABETH HUDAK Research Assistant Professor at the USF Morsani College of Medicine
on a computer in which par- ticipants are asked to indi- cate what they saw or heard and solve puzzles. Each par- ticipant will visit a training facility three times to learn how to follow the mental regimen.
Over the course of three years, they will complete a total of 45 hours of comput- erized training exercises on their own. Researchers will monitor for cognitive im- provements or signs of de- cline through memory training and exams.
To qualify as a volunteer
DR. JERRI EDWARDS USF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences
for the study, the participant must be 65 years of age or older, do not have any neu- rological disorders, have not had a stroke or brain injury, do not have mild cognitive impairment or dementia, such as Alzheimer’s Disease.
A family history of Alzheimer’s does not dis- qualify a person from partic- ipating in the study.
Anyone interested in participating in the study can contact the PACT Study for more in- formation in Hillsbor- ough County at (813) 974-8572; Pasco County at (352) 658-3184; Pinellas County at (727) 873-4090; or Polk County at (863) 800- 0835.
One of the training ses- sions will be located on the campus of USF St. Peters- burg.
The primary investiga- tors of the new study enti- tled, “Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease with Cognitive Train- ing,” are Dr. Jerri Ed- wards, USF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, and Dr. David Morgan with Michigan State University, and former head of USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Center and Research Insti- tute.
Ultimately, researchers hope this short-term study will show enough feasibility for a longer, more rigorous clinical trial.
HUD To Host Information
Sharing Meeting
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Develop- ment will host an informa- tion sharing session. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 7th, from 8:3- a.m. until 12 noon at the Tampa Housing Authority Corporate Office, 5301 W. Cypress Street. It will take place on the 1st floor in the Training Room.
Some of the topics to be discussed during the meeting include: section 3, Healthy Home, Lead-based paint Hazard Reduction (LHR), and Community Develop- ment Block Grants (CDBG). They will also conduct an overview of other HUD Pro- grams, initiatives and poli- cies currently being implemented in Florida.
After completing several outreach activities in the area, HUD has learned of some common concerns and questions regarding HUD programs, processes, and op- portunities. In response, HUD Jacksonville Office of Field Policy and Manage- ment is currently working with their partners to expand
information regarding pro- grams that will benefit the community.
Additionally, the Field Policy Management Office is planning to convene several comprehensive training and information sharing sessions in various cities throughout the Northeast, Northwest, and Central Florida. Their goal is to deliver four (4) 1/2 day sessions of information sharing events in Jack- sonville, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Tallahassee. The meetings can only be at- tended in person.
The target audience in- cludes: city and county hous- ing and community development departments and agencies, Congressional or Constituent Case Workers, housing authority officials and staff, local businesses, Section 3 Coordinators, Sec- tion 8 participants, Health Departments, Contracting Companies and Community Partners.
All questions about the meeting should be forwarded to: Dedra.Carey@hud.gov; or Terry.L.Brey@hud.gov.
City Council CRA Workshop
Is Thursday
When the Tampa City Council meets on Thursday, August 8, 2019, one of the items on the agenda is the CRA (Community Redevel- opment Agency).
City Councilman Or- lando Gudes (D-5) said there is so much concern about the management of the CRAs that he is asking those who are interested to attend the meeting in Council, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd. (downtown Tampa). The meeting begins at 9 a. m. Representatives will give reports followed by the workshop.
Part of the discussion on the CRAs will involve con- cerns from Council members.
In its July 25th meeting, Councilman Gudes and Councilman John Dingfelder (D-3) re- quested the Legal Depart- ment, City and CRA staff to report on the legalities and possibilities of the City of Tampa CRA using alternate provider(s) (e.g. non-profits) selected via an RFP to man- age some or all of the CRA districts; to report on the cost to the rest of the City of main- taining CRAs; and on the possibility of sun-setting a CRA once it is no longer needed.
The meeting will also in- clude a discussion on the Façade Grant Program.
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