Every 71 seconds someone develops this disease; it is the sixth leading cause of death for people in the U.S. and the fifth leading cause of death for those over 65; it is fatal and is more prevalent in African-Americans than Caucasians. What is it? Alzheimer’s disease.
According to Medline Plus, Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia — a group of illnesses that involve memory, behavior, learning and communication problems that steadily get worse.
There is currently no cure for what more than 100,000 people in Indiana are suffering from, and though experts know the disease involves the failure of nerve cells, the exact reason or cause is still unknown.
“We do know that plaques and tangles in the brain are associated with the disease,” Linda Altmeyer, program director of Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Indiana, said. “They act as weeds that literally choke the brain tissue causing it to die.”
Brains affected by Alzheimer’s shrink due to cell loss, and the progression of the disease kills more of the brain disabling the body to move, swallow or breathe.
To raise awareness and help assist in the advancement of research for this disease, the Alzheimer’s Association held its Lunch on the Circle to help the community get informed leading to Sunday’s World Alzheimer’s Day.
“We had at least 500 people on the Circle attend the event to receive information about the disease and how to become an advocate,” Altmeyer said. “This is truly vital when attempting to raise awareness.”
With 26 million people in the U.S. currently living with the disease, Altmeyer says Sunday’s World Alzheimer’s Day was more critical than ever before to rally support and turn attention to a disease that affects not only those diagnosed, but those designated as caregivers.
“The caregiver often becomes ill because they fail to take care of themselves, and it’s a very stressful situation and a heavy burden,” Altmeyer said. “It’s a huge cost in the economy as well.”
Roy Golden, volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Indiana, said he gave up everything to care for his spouse during the time she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
“I tried to keep her at home for as long as I could until she passed,” Golden said.
Not wanting her to go a nursing home meant giving up his job and staying home to care for his wife.
“I had to feed her, think for her, change her clothes and hand feed her three times a day.
“I coped with it because I went to a support group through the Alzheimer’s Association group on the Westside, and I encourage others to do the same and not live in denial,” Golden said.
Like Golden’s spouse, many African-Americans may disproportionately be at a greater risk according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. These conditions that damage the heart and blood vessels also interfere with the brain’s supply lines.
Though Alzheimer’s is fatal, Altmeyer encourages people to get involved to help support research and find a cure.
“We know more than we knew 10 years ago, and there are currently some drugs in the pipeline that help slow the progression of the disease,” Altmeyer said. “That’s why it’s so important to get an early diagnosis.”
Along with the Alzheimer’s Association’s Lunch on the Circle and World Alzheimer’s Day, the association is hosting an event at Martin University about the relationship between diabetes and Alzheimer’s among African-Americans. The event is open to the public.
For more information visit www.actionalz.org
