June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. As part of our commitment to the overall health and well-being of our clients and community, we are spreading the word about this important issue and sharing prevention and screening tips.

Dementia Statistics and Facts

• Dementia is a symptom, not a disease
• 60 – 70% of people who have dementia have Alzheimer’s disease
• Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia
• 15 – 20% of dementia cases are vascular dementia
• More than 7 million older adults had dementia in 2020

Dementia is a decline in cognitive function severe enough to impact daily life.  This can cause difficulties with language, mood, coordination, memory, and reasoning.

While Alzheimer’s disease is the main cause of dementia, there are other brain disorders and conditions that can cause this cognitive symptom, including Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, and Huntington’s disease.

Preventing Dementia

Brain health and cognitive function are often affected by age and the changes that occur as we get older. Some of the factors that impact brain health cannot be controlled, such as genetics. However, there are lifestyle changes that have been linked to improved cognitive functioning and brain health.

To improve your chances of a healthy brain, you can do the following:

• Maintain a healthy blood pressure
• Eat a healthy diet of nutritious foods
• Stay physically active
• Manage stress levels
• Engage in social activities
• Keep your mind engaged and active

It is also recommended that risk factors are reduced by doing the following:

• Stop smoking
• Limit alcohol intake

Identifying Early Signs of Dementia

Since declining cognitive function can present in numerous ways, it’s important to be aware that dementia may cause a variety of issues. Some possible signs of dementia include:

• Struggling to think of words
• Going through sudden or unexplained changes in behavior or mood
• Misplacing items or putting things in the wrong place
• Needing repeated reminders or forgetting information
• Having difficulty remembering recent events
• Asking the same questions or making the same comment after a short period of time

It is not uncommon for many people to dismiss the above challenges as normal age-related issues. However, worsening dementia often becomes difficult to ignore and can include behavior like:

• Difficulty completing everyday tasks like cooking or brushing teeth
• Inability to think rationally or problem-solve
• Hallucinations
• Changing sleep patterns
• Increased trouble talking and saying the correct words

The exact signs of dementia will depend on what area of the brain is most affected, and the exact challenges caused by dementia will vary from person to person.

If you are concerned that you or someone you love may be struggling with dementia, it is important to seek medical attention and advice.