September is a special month because it’s World Alzheimer’s Month — with today being World Alzheimer’s Day. The reason for this dedication is to raise awareness for this heartbreaking disease that affects so many families around the world. Learn as much as you can about this disease now, so you can identify the warning signs early in anyone that’s close to you.

About Alzheimer’s Disease

• Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that wears away at the part of the brain that controls memory, thought, and language. This is the most common type of dementia.
• As this disease worsens, it can make the simplest of daily tasks extremely difficult to perform.
• As one ages, the risk of developing this disease increases.
• A person living with Alzheimer’s disease is typically older than 65 years of age. However, there are rare instances of people younger than 65 that are diagnosed.
• There is not one proven cause of Alzheimer’s disease. However, doctors and scientists believe there are multiple factors that contribute to increasing a person’s risk.
• It is known that managing blood pressure levels, exercising regularly, and not smoking can help decrease a person’s risk of developing memory loss diseases.

What’s the Difference Between Forgetfulness and Memory Loss?

As you age, forgetfulness is going to take place on a regular basis. You might forget a name, an address, or a distant memory from years ago (or even something that happened earlier in the day). This doesn’t mean a person is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease — there are other symptoms that stand out.

• Repeating questions when asked
• Becoming lost while in familiar places
• Taking more time to complete everyday tasks
• Increased frequency of mood swings
• Showing poor judgment
• Inability to handle money correctly (accurately)

Every person should be well-versed in the basic facts about Alzheimer’s disease — it can help you identify this disease in those who are close to you. For other useful tips and information, visit our blog! The Arbors offers a special community known as SafeCare that enables those with alzheimers to live safely and comfortably. If you’re interested in learning more or visiting The Arbors Assisted Living community, schedule a tour by contacting one of our five convenient locations:

Bohemia
Hauppauge
Islandia East
Islandia West
Westbury