September is World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting about 6 percent of people 65 and older. Though it may seem like just a typical disease for older people, it is not a normal part of aging. Join us this September. Add your voice, help increase the volume, raise awareness, challenge stigma, and help spread awareness for Alzheimer’s.
Know the Signs.
Everyone will experience memory issues in their later years. Dementia is different and affects a person’s ability to do every tasks. Here are ten warning signs for dementia:
- They may remember events that took place years ago but not what they had for breakfast.
- Conversing with a person with dementia can be difficult, and it may take longer than usual to conclude.
- These changes are subtle at first and are better recognized by a loved one. Depression, for instance, is typical of early dementia.
- A person with symptoms could lose interest in hobbies or activities.
- Tasks like balancing a checkbook or playing games that have a lot of rules become difficult.
- Individuals with dementia can no longer remember faces, find the right words, or interact with people normally. Thus, deal with a lot of confusion.
- Difficulty following storylines may occur due to early dementia.
- The sense of direction and spatial orientation commonly starts to deteriorate with the onset of dementia.
- The person may repeat stories, daily tasks such as shaving, or they may collect items obsessively.
- They might crave routine and be afraid to try new experiences due to their challenges each day.
Get Involved Today!
There are many ways to celebrate World Alzheimer’s Month. This year’s theme is “Know Dementia. Know Alzheimer’s.” Share messages on social media, show others how to recognize the signs of dementia, raise or donate funds for research, or attend events and activities put on by your local Alzheimer’s association. No action is too small. Make sure you are using the hashtags of #KnowDementia and #KnowAlzheimers.
Research continues to move advances in detection methods and treatments for Alzheimer’s forward. The patients and healthy individuals volunteering in research studies make these advances possible. If you or a loved one has concerns about the memory issues you are experiencing, a FREE memory screen or our upcoming research studies may be an option.
To schedule your FREE memory screen, or learn more about current and future Alzheimer’s studies, call us at (239) 939-7777, or visit our website today!
Sources:
https://www.alzint.org/get-involved/world-alzheimers-month/2021-theme/
https://nationaltoday.com/world-alzheimers-month/
https://www.healthline.com/health/dementia/early-warning-signs#when-to-see-a-doctor
