In June, Alzheimer’s and Brain Health comes to the forefront. Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible progressive brain disorder that takes away memory, thinking skills and in time the ability to do simple tasks.
Alzheimer’s is currently ranked as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. Approximately 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s in 2023 (2/3rd are women).
Alzheimer’s is personal for me and for many of you. This week, I’d like to share some information and resources to be aware of.
7 Organizations Working on Alzheimer’s that Everyone Should Know About – Alzheimer’s Association. National Institute on Aging (NIA). Banner Alzheimer’s Institute. UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. BrightFocus Foundation. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF).
Quick Facts from ALZ.ORG
More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million.
1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.
In 2023, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation $345 billion. By 2050, these costs could rise to nearly $1 trillion.
Over 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
In 2022, unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 18 billion hours of care valued at $339.5 billion.
The lifetime risk for Alzheimer’s at age 45 is 1 in 5 for women and 1 in 10 for men.
Only 4 in 10 Americans would talk to their doctor right away when experiencing early memory or cognitive loss.
7 in 10 Americans would want to know early if they have Alzheimer’s disease if it could allow for earlier treatment.
Between 2020 and 2030, 1.2 million additional direct care workers will be needed to care for the growing population of people living with dementia — the largest worker gap in the U.S.
If you’re interested ALZ.org has assembled 2023 Alzheimer’s Facts and Figures here. And, they have an extensive virtual library resource list here.
Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet from National Institute on Aging
Alzheimer’s is currently ranked as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering, and reasoning — and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.
The causes of dementia can vary depending on the types of brain changes that may be taking place. Other forms of dementia include Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal disorders, and vascular dementia. It is common for people to have mixed dementia — a combination of two or more types of dementia. For example, some people have both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
Clinical Trials
Many volunteers are needed to participate in studies and clinical trials. Everyone is welcome. Those with or without cognitive impairment can help scientists learn more about the brain and how it changes as we age.
The NIH National Library of Medicine has resources if you’d like to learn more about clinical trials.
- To learn more about Alzheimer’s clinical trials and studies watch this video
- Talk to your health care provider about local studies that may be right for you
- Search the Alzheimers.gov Clinical Trials Finder for options near you or sign up for email alerts about new trials and studies
- Sign up for a registry or matching service to be invited to participate in trials and studies
- Contact an Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center or a memory or neurology clinic in your community
Does Diet Play a Role?
Changes in the brain can occur years before the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear. These early brain changes suggest a possible window of opportunity to prevent or delay dementia symptoms.
Scientists are looking at many possible ways to do this, including drugs, lifestyle changes and combinations of these interventions. Unlike other risk factors for Alzheimer’s that we can’t change, such as age and genetics, people can control lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise and cognitive training.
Volunteers are needed for clinical trials that are testing how different eating patterns affect Alzheimer’s risk. By joining one of these studies, you may learn more about how to make smart food choices as you age and contribute useful information to better understand the connection between diet and Alzheimer’s disease. Find clinical trials near you if you’re interested.
Plan For Today and Tomorrow
When I was young, incapacity wasn’t a term I knew. As I’ve “chronologically advanced” 😉 discussions about incapacity aren’t frequent for many families.
It’s an adjustment when someone we love is impacted by any impairment and still living. And when a disease is “invisible”, having to explain to others can be too much.
With brain impairment, cognitive and behavioral decline impacts the ability to make decisions and take the actions to legally protect self and impacted others. This June, my inspired hope is that awareness is raised so that across society people begin talking with one another about ways to help each other in advance of decline.
Stay tuned for my summer series of quick tip videos to help raise awareness and help you make life easier. Feel free to reach out with any questions you have Email: Lynn@thelivingplanner.com or if you’d prefer to schedule a Complimentary Discovery Call to discuss your particulars, I’ll be here to help! My main website is: https://thelivingplanner.com.
As said by James Thurber, “Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness”. To June everyone ❣️Lynn
LifeHacks #CareForPeopleCareForBusiness