In the News June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month– Part I

During the month of June, we recognize those living with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Here we dig deeper into Alzheimer’s, treatments, outlooks and more.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.

Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases.

Does everyone get Alzheimer’s when they get older?

Alzheimer’s is NOT a normal part of aging. Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years

In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. On average, a person with Alzheimer's lives 4 to 8 years after diagnosis but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.

Is Alzheimer’s curable? 

Alzheimer’s has no cure, but treatments demonstrate that removing beta-amyloid, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, from the brain reduces cognitive and functional decline in people living with early Alzheimer’s. Other treatments can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers.  

What are the signs/symptoms of Alzheimer’s? 

The most common early symptom of Alzheimer's is difficulty remembering newly learned information. Most of us eventually notice 

(Continued in Part II…)