Alzheimer's Awareness Month
This post brought to you by The Alzheimer's Foundation of America.
November is Alzheimer's Awareness Month-- And Alzheimer's Disease is something that I think about often.
A few years ago, my Nana passed away... but even before that, we watched her slowly fade. Even when I was a kid, she had some minor memory problems-- the type of stuff that people do all the time. She'd call me by my mother's name... or call my mother by someone else's name. We all do things like that on occasion, right?
Well, with my Nana, it just kept getting worse, and eventually, she was moved into a home. Talking to her on the phone was heartbreaking. As a woman who lived by herself well into her 80s, she didn't understand why she couldn't come and go as she pleased. She thought the nurses were stealing her clothes and purse. And one particularly sad night, she begged me to come rescue her-- even telling me which floor she lived on, which window was hers, and the best time to break into her room. It probably sounds funny-- let's face it, I'm not exactly Jack Bauer. But it was the most depressing phone call I'd ever experienced.
Alzheimer's terrifies me. Last year, my mom was having memory problems because of some medication she was on, and I was scared that it was already starting to happen to her. Hell, when I forget someone's name, I worry about myself.
So I try to be proactive about my memory. I've always liked doing stuff like brain teasers, sudoku and crosswords-- and I recently read that all of those things help to stimulate the neural paths in your brain, which in turn helps prevent dementia. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America has information on other steps you can take to keep your memory sharp (or as they put it, "Tips for Successful Aging"). Take a look at them, and tell others about them, too.
I'm even considering getting my memory screened-- not that I'm worried right now, but I figure having a baseline for comparison in the future wouldn't be such a bad thing. Since November is Alzheimer's Awareness month, there's also a National Memory Screening Day (November 13th), with sites across the country offering screenings during that week. If you're concerned about yourself-- or someone else, you should check out the list on the Alzheimer's Foundation website. I was pleased to see that there were several locations within a half-hour or so from us.
Of course, with the holidays coming, you can also contribute to the cause. The Alzheimer's Foundation allows you to donate in someone's honor or memory, or as a holiday gift. Prevention is always important-- and finding a cure would be fantastic-- but people suffering with Alzheimer's now can use some help, too.
November is Alzheimer's Awareness Month-- And Alzheimer's Disease is something that I think about often.
A few years ago, my Nana passed away... but even before that, we watched her slowly fade. Even when I was a kid, she had some minor memory problems-- the type of stuff that people do all the time. She'd call me by my mother's name... or call my mother by someone else's name. We all do things like that on occasion, right?
Well, with my Nana, it just kept getting worse, and eventually, she was moved into a home. Talking to her on the phone was heartbreaking. As a woman who lived by herself well into her 80s, she didn't understand why she couldn't come and go as she pleased. She thought the nurses were stealing her clothes and purse. And one particularly sad night, she begged me to come rescue her-- even telling me which floor she lived on, which window was hers, and the best time to break into her room. It probably sounds funny-- let's face it, I'm not exactly Jack Bauer. But it was the most depressing phone call I'd ever experienced.
Alzheimer's terrifies me. Last year, my mom was having memory problems because of some medication she was on, and I was scared that it was already starting to happen to her. Hell, when I forget someone's name, I worry about myself.
So I try to be proactive about my memory. I've always liked doing stuff like brain teasers, sudoku and crosswords-- and I recently read that all of those things help to stimulate the neural paths in your brain, which in turn helps prevent dementia. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America has information on other steps you can take to keep your memory sharp (or as they put it, "Tips for Successful Aging"). Take a look at them, and tell others about them, too.
I'm even considering getting my memory screened-- not that I'm worried right now, but I figure having a baseline for comparison in the future wouldn't be such a bad thing. Since November is Alzheimer's Awareness month, there's also a National Memory Screening Day (November 13th), with sites across the country offering screenings during that week. If you're concerned about yourself-- or someone else, you should check out the list on the Alzheimer's Foundation website. I was pleased to see that there were several locations within a half-hour or so from us.
Of course, with the holidays coming, you can also contribute to the cause. The Alzheimer's Foundation allows you to donate in someone's honor or memory, or as a holiday gift. Prevention is always important-- and finding a cure would be fantastic-- but people suffering with Alzheimer's now can use some help, too.
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