Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month in September

By Colleen Scott, NYSOFA Advocacy Specialist

September is World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, with September 21 being the day that organizations worldwide make global efforts to raise societal awareness and challenge stigmas associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia and is a term used to describe cognitive changes and memory loss which also impair thinking and behavior. Dementia will be the third leading cause of death globally by 2040.

Anyone who has had a loved one with Alzheimer’s, or another form of dementia, understands the strain it can place on relationships and the grief that happens to loved ones as the disease progresses.

Did you know?

• Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging. The greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and most people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. Younger-onset Alzheimer's occurs in cases affecting a person under age 65.
• Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years.
• Regularly seeing friends and family in midlife is linked to a lower risk of a dementia diagnosis later in life.
• Insufficient sleep in middle age is associated with a higher risk of dementia later in life.

Disparities

• Hispanic Americans are 1.5 times as likely to develop dementia, and Black Americans are twice as likely according to research published by the National Institute on Aging.
• Native American and Asian adults have a lower likelihood of receiving a timely Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) diagnosis.
• Black participants in Alzheimer’s disease research studies were 35% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and related dementias than White participants, despite national statistics indicating that Black Americans are overall about twice as likely to develop dementias than Whites.
• Social stress, including discrimination, has been shown to contribute to accelerated aging of the immune system, which can play a key role in Alzheimer’s disease.

Warning Signs

• Memory loss that disrupts daily life
• Challenges in planning or solving problems
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks
• Confusion with time or place
• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
• New problems with words in speaking or writing
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
• Decreased or poor judgment
• Withdrawal from work or social activities
• Changes in mood and personality

Resources

• Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline: (800) 272-3900.
• Find your local Alzheimer’s Association.
• 10 Warning Signs Worksheet.
• 10 Steps to Approach Memory Concerns in others.
• Dementia Dialogues is a 5-module training course designed to educate community members and caregivers for persons who exhibit signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Dementia Dialogues is a nationally registered, evidence-informed intervention program at no cost to participants.
• Watch NYSOFA’s livestream with Alzheimer’s disease experts on Alzheimer’s: New Science/Early Detection.