Most of us knows someone who has been impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, whether it’s touched our own family or a friend’s loved ones. For this reason, the month of November is known as Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there were less than two million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease in 1983 when the president at the time recognized the need for a heightened awareness for this condition. That number has increased to nearly six million nationally. And according to the World Health Organization (WHO), roughly 50 million people worldwide currently live with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
Whether you are a caregiver, family member, friend, or healthcare provider, it is vital to know the warning sign of Alzheimer’s Disease early on in order to attempt providing the individual diagnosed with an improved quality of life.
Memory loss, such as frequently forgetting names, words, or new information, is typically one of the first warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the one clear distinction between typical memory struggles and Alzheimer’s is that with Alzheimer’s the behavior is significant enough to impair someone’s ability to accomplish everyday tasks independently.