News
What's happening in Alzheimer's care, research funding, and treatment — summarized simply, each item linked to the original reporting.
Free to read, “May need a subscription” and “Archived copy”: what they mean
Whether an article is free to read is a guess, not a test of your access. Each item is one of three:
- No label: free to read (303 of 347). The publisher’s page marks it free, or the outlet publishes free to read: Medical Xpress, ScienceDaily, NIH (incl. NIA and PMC), Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's News Today, NPR, Alzheimer's Disease International, or a .gov site.
- May need a subscription (11 of 347). The publisher’s own page marks the article as not free to read, or — when the page says nothing — the outlet sells subscriptions: The New York Times, STAT, Scientific American, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Economist, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Wired, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Times, The Telegraph, New Scientist, Endpoints News, Science. Each badge says which.
- “Free to read? Not known” (33 of 347). The outlet is on neither list and its page said nothing. We do not call these paywalled.
Archived copy links go to a copy the Internet Archive (web.archive.org) saved, dated the day it was saved. We show one only where the Internet Archive reported a working saved copy when we checked; an archived copy of a subscription article sometimes shows only its opening. 265 of 347 items have one.
DNA changes in Alzheimer's disease: What they mean to patients, families
Scientists know that age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, but aging alone doesn't explain why some people develop the condition while others do not. Genetics, lifestyle factors and environmental influences also appear to play a role. …
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (12 Oct 2026), Internet ArchiveRelationship study finds helping dementia patient supports even their spousal caregiver
Just as a fleet of ships moves across the ocean—the flagship in the lead as other vessels circle around it—people move through life with a social convoy around them, closest confidants shifting as a person's season of life changes.
Read at Medical Xpress →Connecticut Enacts Family Caregiver Tax Credit of Up to $2,000 a Year, Effective Tax Year 2027
Gov. Ned Lamont signed Connecticut's fiscal year 2027 budget adjustment (Public Act 26-68) on May 26, 2026, creating a state tax credit for family caregivers who pay out-of-pocket costs to support the activities of daily living of adult family members. Reimbursements are capped at $2,000 a year and can cover home safety and accessibility modifications or paying a health aide or personal care attendant; the credit begins in tax year 2027. It is limited to individuals earning under $50,000 (joint filers under $100,000), requires a voucher application approved first-come first-served, and the program is capped at $1.8 million annually.
Why it matters: Connecticut has enacted a tax credit of up to $2,000 per year for family caregivers covering out-of-pocket costs for adult family members.
Free to read? Not known for this outlet.
Read at Connecticut Public (CT/WNPR); Office of Governor Ned Lamont press release → Archived copy (11 Jun 2026), Internet ArchiveMaine Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Begin May 1, 2026, Including Leave to Care for a Family Member
The Maine Department of Labor announced that leave under the state's new Paid Family and Medical Leave program officially begins May 1, 2026, with the first weekly benefit payments on May 7. The program provides up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement per benefit year, including 'Family Care Leave' to care for a loved one with a serious health condition. Since applications opened March 30 the department had received over 2,000 state-plan applications. Funded since January 2025 by a 1% payroll contribution split between workers and employers at businesses with 15 or more employees; Maine joins 13 other states and DC with similar programs.
Why it matters: Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program begins May 1, 2026, offering up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement for workers caring for family or dealing with serious health conditions.
Read at Maine Department of Labor → Archived copy (15 May 2026), Internet Archive'Person-centered care' improves lives of dementia residents, caregivers
For many Kentuckians with dementia, medical interventions may seem like the only choice, but a new University of Kentucky study shows that prioritizing joy and engagement through enrichment activities is vital for the health of both residents and the caregivers who support them.
Why it matters: Prioritizing joy and engagement through enrichment activities improves health for dementia residents and caregivers, offering a vital alternative to medical interventions.
Read at Medical Xpress →Why people with dementia wander—and how families can keep them safe
In June 2025, an elderly woman with dementia went missing in a forested area in Natuna, Indonesia, while tending to her plants. Search and rescue (SAR) teams were deployed to locate her.
Why it matters: Understanding why people with dementia wander can help families keep them safe, especially when individuals go missing in dangerous areas.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (22 Jan 2026), Internet ArchiveWhy a life-threatening sedative is being prescribed more often for seniors
When agitated dementia patients wander or shout through the night, families and caregivers understandably feel the need to treat this frightening and potentially dangerous behavior. …
Why it matters: When agitated dementia patients wander or shout at night, families and caregivers seek ways to treat this frightening and potentially dangerous behavior.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (10 Mar 2026), Internet ArchiveCMS GUIDE Model: Lessons Learned by an Established Track Program at End of Year One
A review of one Established Track GUIDE Model dementia-care program's first year found 158 patients and caregivers enrolled, over 35% of eligible beneficiaries used respite services, and about 9% disenrolled, often due to death or hospice transition.
Why it matters: Early real-world evidence on how Medicare's new dementia care payment model is working for caregivers, including uptake of respite care, one of its core promised benefits.
Read at Peer-reviewed report (PMC / Innovation in Aging) →Minnesota Paid Leave Program Launches Statewide January 1, 2026, Covering Leave to Care for an Ill Family Member
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and Gov. Tim Walz announced that the state's Paid Leave program, created by a 2023 law, launches statewide on January 1, 2026, providing eligible workers paid, job-protected time off for major life events including caring for an ill family member. Early applications for 2025 births opened Dec. 3, 2025; up to 20,000 Minnesotans were expected to apply in December and January. Small employers pay reduced premium rates and may qualify for grants to cover staffing costs during an employee's leave. The Minnesota Department of Revenue separately states that beginning January 2026 the program provides eligible individuals with medical or family leave.
Why it matters: Minnesota's statewide Paid Leave program launches January 1, 2026, providing eligible workers with paid, job-protected time off for major life events, including caring for an ill family member.
Read at Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED); Minnesota Department of Revenue → Archived copy (24 Feb 2026), Internet ArchiveAlzheimer's Association Center for Dementia Respite Innovation Awards More Than $4 Million in New Round of Grants
The Alzheimer's Association's Center for Dementia Respite Innovation awarded over $4 million to 41 community-based providers in 26 states, the second year of a five-year, $25 million program funded by a federal Administration for Community Living grant, to expand dementia-specific respite care.
Why it matters: Directly funds more respite care options for the nearly 12 million unpaid dementia caregivers nationwide, addressing one of caregivers' most requested forms of support.
Read at Alzheimer's Association → Archived copy (12 Apr 2026), Internet Archive2025 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures Report
The Alzheimer's Association's annual report found 7.2 million Americans 65+ living with Alzheimer's, nearly 12 million family caregivers providing 19.2 billion hours of unpaid care (valued at about $413 billion), and total 2025 care costs projected at $384 billion; nearly 4 in 5 Americans said they'd want to know if they had Alzheimer's before symptoms worsened.
Why it matters: The most-cited annual benchmark data for the scale of Alzheimer's disease and its caregiving burden in the U.S., used by policymakers and advocates to justify funding and support programs.
Read at Alzheimer's Association → Archived copy (16 Feb 2026), Internet ArchiveNebraska Caregiver Tax Credit Takes Effect for 2025, With Higher $3,000 Cap for Dementia Caregivers
Nebraska's Caregiver Tax Credit Act (LB 937, enacted 2024) is operative for tax years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2025. The Department of Revenue began accepting applications in February 2025. The nonrefundable credit equals 50% of eligible caregiving expenditures up to $2,000, or $3,000 if the family member is a veteran or is diagnosed with dementia. Caregivers must have federal AGI under $100,000 (joint) or $50,000 (other filers); the family member must live in a private residence and need help with at least two activities of daily living. Eligible expenses include home modifications, equipment, respite care and adult day care. Credits are capped statewide at $1.5 million for state fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27, then $2.5 million.
Why it matters: Nebraska's Caregiver Tax Credit provides nonrefundable tax relief of up to $3,000 to assist eligible family caregivers with caregiving expenses.
Read at Nebraska Department of Revenue → Archived copy (10 Jul 2026), Internet ArchiveFollow new items in a feed reader: Atom feed.