On Saturday, September 20, 2014, I participated in a Walk to
end Alzheimer’s and Dementia that was held by the Alzheimer’s Association.
After meeting at Anderson’s Carolina Wren Park for a brief ceremony and
registration period, participants of all ages, sizes and race took a mile-long
walk for a very worthy cause. Most all of us know someone who has been impacted
by the onset of Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Here are a few facts about the
illness:
·
Alzheimer's is a type of
dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms
usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to
interfere with daily tasks.
·
Alzheimer's is not a normal
part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is
increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older.
But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people
with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset),
which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s.
·
Alzheimer's worsens over
time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia
symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years.
·
Alzheimer's has no current
cure, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues.
Although current Alzheimer's treatments cannot stop Alzheimer's from
progressing, they can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and
improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. Today,
there is a worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease,
delay its onset, and prevent it from developing.
If you suspect that you or someone you know may have these
symptoms, please reach out to them and a physician as soon as possible. The Library has database resources on
Alzheimer’s. Two links are listed below:
Alydia Sims
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