Alzheimers disease has struck very close to my family. My sister was diagnosed with the disease at 40 years old and passed away two years ago after being afflicted with the disease for 15 years. My mother was diagnosed 10 years ago at age 75 and is currently living in a special assisted living home specializing in Alzheimers patients.
November is National Alzheimers Awareness month so I wanted to pass on some tips of looking for signs of the disease, when and why someone should be evaluated, risk factors, diagnosis and places to get help if you or a loved one do in fact have the disease.
One of the best resources to answer many of these questions and more is at the Web site, www.ALZ.org. As listed on their Web site, as many as 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimers and every 70 seconds, someone new comes down with the disease. It is also the 7th leading cause of death in this country and heath care costs dealing with this disease will likely triple for those 65 years old and older.
Another helpful Web site is the http://AboutALZ.org
Many call the disease, "the long good-bye" and as some one who has lost two immediate family members to Alzheimers, it is very true.
There is a local Caregivers Support Group at Potomac hospital which can be reached at (703) 221-2500. There is another support group through The Woodbridge Senior Center. For free information and meeting times, cal (703) 792- 7328.
Comments