September marks World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. With this important month, we wanted to take some time to shed light on the topic.
• 5.3 million Americans aged 65 and older have Alzheimer’s
• About 15.7 million adult family caregivers care for someone who has Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia
• Alzheimer’s was the sixth-leading cause of death across all ages in the U.S. in 2017
• Alzheimer’s currently accounts for 93,500 deaths per year in the U.S. (12,600 in California)
Although Alzheimer’s affects people differently, some signs to be aware of in your loved one are: memory loss that disrupts daily life, challenges in planning or solving problems, difficulty completely familiar tasks at home, confusion with time or place, and trouble understanding visual images. Unfortunately, there is no treatment available to stop the deterioration of brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease.
So, how can you help? In addition to acting as a caregiver and providing emotional support, don’t be afraid to ask for outside help. Humor can also be a major coping mechanism. Depending on the condition of your loved one, find games that are fun for the both of you. You can find other helpful advice from online sources such as: BrightFocus Foundation, Family Caregiver Alliance, and Alzheimer’s Association, where stats in this article came from.
