GENESEO, N.Y., June 13, 2023 – June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and Livingston County is encouraging residents to learn more about the signs and symptoms of brain-related disorders and to speak with their primary care provider about cognitive health.
Currently, in the United States, it is estimated that more than six million Americans of all ages live with Alzheimer’s with roughly 73 percent being 75 or older. Studies have shown that about one in nine people aged 65 or older have some form of Alzheimer’s. Additionally, almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women while older Black and Hispanic Americans experience a higher rate of Alzheimer’s than any other race.
Furthermore, Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases have had a significant economic impact in the United States, costing the nation $345 billion – a total that is expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2050. It is estimated that over 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia to the tune of 18 billion hours of care in 2022 alone.
A prolific disease that impacts not only the brain, but numerous other important organs and functions of the body, Alzheimer’s disease begins taking shape 20 years before memory loss occurs. Symptoms include memory loss that disrupts daily life, poor judgement, which often leads to bad decisions, loss of spontaneity and initiative, losing track of dates or current location, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, repeating questions frequently and forgetting recently learned information, wandering or getting lost, sudden mood or personality changes, increased anxiety or aggression, difficulty completing everyday tasks and more.
While Alzheimer’s is often at the forefront of conversations surrounding cognitive health, Brain Awareness Month also focuses on other forms of dementia, attention deficit disorder, cognitive impairment, Lewy Bodies Disease and other ailments as well.
Learn more about Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and get access to important information and resources by visiting the Alzheimer’s Association’s website.
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About Livingston County:
Founded in 1821, Livingston County, N.Y., is comprised of more than 61,000 residents in 17 towns located across 631 square miles of the Finger Lakes region.