September is World Alzheimer’s Month – What You Need to Know.
September is World Alzheimer’s month and it is important. Alzheimer’s impacts millions of individuals globally and is the most prevalent form of dementia, with numbers escalating at an alarming rate. A leading cause of disability among the elderly, dementia is a collective name for neurological disorders which affect memory, thinking, behavior and emotion. (Read our blog on the different types of dementia https://www.carepatrol.com/advisors/baltimore-md/resources/blog/The-Different-Types-of-Dementia_AE371.html) Dementia affects everyone differently, with a variety of symptoms and severity levels. Unfortunately, people who develop dementia end up needing help managing the routines of daily life, including the simple things. There is currently no cure.
World Alzheimer’s Month helps to bring awareness to the disorder and provides a platform to discuss what is new in medical breakthroughs for this disease. New therapies including a vaccination trial, new medications, treatments, and prevention methods are evolving and being made available to patients. September, as World Alzheimer’s Month, brings people from around the world together to elevate understanding and educate communities about dementia. For 2022, a special focus on post-diagnosis support will highlight the importance of providing resources and care for people once they receive a diagnosis and supporting families and caregivers throughout the process.
Dementia is not a normal part of aging. This is a common misconception and upwards of 62% of healthcare practitioners globally believe that dementia is a normal part of aging. This statistic alone is a key reason to put the focus on Alzheimer’s and dementia. Awareness is critical and educating families and caregivers is so important for many reasons. A research report from 2011 shows that earlier diagnosis and early intervention should be a priority for implementing treatment and improving care for afflicted individuals, for better results, and for quality of life.
Alzheimer’s Awareness Month (and Day) sends a strong message to governments and policymakers. Dementia care has a global price tag of $1.3 trillion and the rate of dementia is growing as the population ages. The growth of the disease will drive the price tag to more than double by 2030, an estimated 2.8 trillion dollars. The aging population is a result of advanced health care overall which is extending lives. The Baby Boomer generation is a significantly large cohort, as it continues to tip into senior citizenship. The problem of dementia amongst our aging seniors is large, burdensome and a serious health issue. The Alzheimer’s Disease International Organization considers dementia “one of the biggest health and social care crises of this century”.
Everyone can get involved. Chances are, someone you know whether it is a family, friend, or community member, has suffered from dementia, and it’s something each of us faces as we ourselves age. The Greater Maryland Alzheimer’s Association is hosting activities throughout September and October including their conference on Thursday, September 15 in Towson, MD, for conference details: Greater Maryland Chapter (alz.org). In addition, there is the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s – consider joining or donating to the CarePatrol of Baltimore team as we walk together to end Alzheimer’s on October 22nd in Hunt Valley (Our team sign up page is here: https://act.alz.org/site/TR?team_id=767017&fr_id=15621&pg=team ).
The Greater Maryland Alzheimer’s Association is hosting six (6) individual walks throughout the greater Maryland region:
With continued awareness and focus, the end of Alzheimer’s is out there. The first survivor is alive today but it will take all of us working together to continue to advance treatments and research that will make survival and prevention a reality. Let us know if you have questions or need support and we will help connect you to the right resources. Come walk with us.