Five things every person needs to know about Alzheimer’s Disease

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An Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis can be very difficult for the patient – and family members. 

There are some medical treatments, therapies and support available, but Alzheimer’s is a disease that does worsen over time – and the symptoms can be devastating. Memory loss, cognitive decline and behavioral changes can all occur. 

Here are five things you need to know about Alzheimer’s Disease:

  1. Alzheimer’s was discovered by a German doctor named Alois Alzheimer in 1906. He noted memory loss and other cognitive issues in a patient and then after the patient’s death, he examined the brain to note abnormalities. 
  2. Alzheimer’s is a leading cause of death and about 1 in 3 people older than 65 will die of it (or another form of dementia). Each year, more than 119,00 people die from Alzheimer’s annually according to the Centers for Disease Control. 
  3. Women are more likely to have Alzheimer’s. Over a lifetime, nearly 1 in 5 women will develop it, compared to 1 in 10 men. Researchers think this is because women tend to have longer lives. 
  4. There are links to Alzheimer’s and other conditions such as heart disease, metabolic syndromes, diabetes and more. 
  5. You can take some preventative measures against Alzheimer’s such as: eating an anti-inflammatory diet, maintaining healthy blood pressure, not smoking, staying physically active, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, and more. 

September is World Alzheimer’s Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and promoting education about Alzheimer’s and dementia. This global campaign aims to bring to light the experiences of those living with Alzheimer’s and encouraging support for them and their caregivers.

Alzheimer’s research continues being done, so hopefully one day we can live in a world without Alzheimer’s. 

Abbington Assisted Living

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