November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
Every 70 seconds, another American family is affected by Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible and progressive brain disease that slowly erodes precious memories, thinking skills, and the ability to perform simple tasks. It affects millions of Americans, including senior citizens as well as younger Americans with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. November is a great time to stand with everyone confronting the painful reality of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis; lend our support to the families who care for them; and do what we can as a society to help delay, prevent, and ultimately cure the disease.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan designated November as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. At the time, fewer than 2 million Americans had Alzheimer’s; today, the number of people with the disease has soared to nearly 5.4 million. In August 1994, at the age of 83, Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In November, he informed the nation through a handwritten letter, writing in part:
“I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease... At the moment I feel just fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done... I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead. Thank you, my friends. May God always bless you.”
Today, November is designated as a time to reflect on this disease and spread awareness of it, as well as the need for more research for detection and prevention.
7 warning signs of Alzheimer’s
- Asking the same question over and over again.
- Repeating the same story, word for word, again and again.
- Forgetting how to cook, or how to make repairs, or how to play cards—activities that were previously done with ease and regularity.
- Losing the ability to pay bills or balance a checkbook.
- Getting lost in familiar surroundings or misplacing household objects.
- Neglecting to bathe, or wearing the same clothes over and over again, while insisting that they have taken a bath or that their clothes are still clean.
- Relying on someone else, such as a spouse, to make decisions or answer questions they previously would have handled themselves.
If someone has several or even most of these symptoms, it doesn’t mean they necessarily have the disease. It does mean they should be thoroughly examined by a medical specialist trained in evaluating memory disorders, or by a comprehensive memory disorder clinic, with an entire team of experts knowledgeable about memory problems. For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, visit the U.S. Government’s website www.alzheimers.gov or the website of the Alzheimer’s Association.
If you’re a caregiver for a loved one who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, there are a great number of senior living options and services available to help, including senior residences with Alzheimer’s specialty services.
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BLOG Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Writer: Ryan Allen