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National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month


Social: #ENDALZ

Twitter: @alzassociation

Facebook: @actionalz

Website: https://alz.org/

Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.

Understanding Alzheimer's and dementia 

  • Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 percent to 80 percent of dementia cases.
    Learn more: What Is Dementia, Research and Progress

  • Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging. The greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age. Approximately 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 have younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease (also known as early-onset Alzheimer’s).
    Learn more: Younger/Early-Onset Alzheimer's, Risk Factors ​

  • Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. On average, a person with Alzheimer's lives four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.
    Learn more: 10 Warning Signs, Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

  • Alzheimer's has no current cure, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues. Although current Alzheimer's treatments cannot stop Alzheimer's from progressing, they can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. Today, there is a worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, and prevent it from developing.
    Learn more: Treatments, Treatment Horizon, Prevention, Clinical Trials

Help is available

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or another dementia, you are not alone. The Alzheimer's Association is the trusted resource for reliable information, education, referral and support to millions of people affected by the disease.

Alzheimer's Association
225 North Michigan Avenue, 17th Floor Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60601-7633
(800) 272-3900
(312) 335-4078
(866) 699-1246 Fax
media@alz.org
www.alz.org/co/in_my_community_alzheimers_awareness_month.asp
Materials available
Contact: None designated

Source: 2019 National Health Observances, National Health Information Center, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.

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