Next Sunday, September 21st, 2008 is World Alzheimer's Day. People are encouraged to wear the color purple to signify their awareness of this very difficult and sad disease that affects so many.
More than five million Americans are currently living with this degenerative brain disease, and many more are caring for them.
If you would like a free purple ribbon to wear, please email the Alzheimer's Association at [email protected] and they will send you one.
Alzheimer's can affect anyone, usually (but not always) in advanced age, and there is no cure as yet. One tenth of those over age 65 have the condition and almost half of people over the age of 85.
Here is more information about this condition, courtesy of the Alzheimer's Association (www.www.alz.org ) -
[Alzheimer's]"is a progressive and fatal brain disease. As many as 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today it is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.
Is the most common form of dementia, a general term for the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Vascular dementia, another common type of dementia, is caused by reduced blood flow to parts of the brain. In mixed dementia, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia occur together.
Has no current cure. But treatments for symptoms, combined with the right services and support, can make life better for the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer’s. We’ve learned most of what we know about Alzheimer’s in the last 15 years. There is an accelerating worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, or prevent it from developing."
http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp
The National Institute on Aging is another group that can offer more information an support. You can click here for their website... http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Tell Us
How have you been affected by Alzheimer's Disease? Is it something you worry about for yourself, in your old age?