The Fight to Wipe Out Alzheimer’s Disease

June 9, 2014 - PRLog -- June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. Join the efforts to raise awareness and support research. Everyone is encouraged to wear purple throughout the month of June to show support and inspire others to take action. Purple is the official color of the Alzheimer’s movement. In addition, June 21 is The Longest Day. This is a day set aside to honor those living with the disease and their caregivers by doing what you can to raise funds and awareness for the care, support, and research of the Alzheimer’s Association.

It is estimated that worldwide at least 44 million people are living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. This number is expected to jump to 76 million by 2030. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s and more than 5 million Americans are living with the disease. It is the 6^th leading cause of death in the U.S. Approximately two-thirds of those with Alzheimer’s disease are women. Millions of family and friends provide hours upon hours of unpaid care for their loved ones. The physical and emotional burden of Alzheimer’s and other dementias exacts a heavy toll on the caregivers as well.

Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of cognitive disorders typically characterized by memory impairment, as well as marked difficulty in the domains of language, motor activity, object recognition, and disturbance of executive function – the ability to plan, organize, and abstract.

Alzheimer's disease is perhaps the most common form of dementia, although several others exist. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease of the brain. In the early stages, people experience some memory loss which progresses to marked memory loss, then to a decrease in thinking ability such as decision making. Later the disease leads to the loss in the ability to perform activities of daily living or recognize loved ones. There are a number of studies that suggest behaviors that might lessen the risk of developing the disease. Among these are increasing physical activity, having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, maintaining social engagement, and participating in intellectually stimulating activities. Some studies suggest that the prevention of diseases that damage blood vessels such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes may also lessen the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

You can learn more about Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month on the Alzheimer’s Association website: http://www.alz.org/.

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