BEACON SENIOR NEWS
5 myths about Alzheimer’s disease Courtesy of Alzheimer's Association of Colorado
D
espite being the seventh cause of death among Americans and the single largest risk to the health of our Medicare system, Alzheimer’s disease isn’t widely understood. “Callers to our helpline sometimes won’t even give us their name,” said Meg Donahue, director of community engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado. “For some, acknowledging their concerns about memory loss may be an admission of their worst fears: that they have Alzheimer’s disease.” Alzheimer’s deserves its fearsome reputation. It kills more people annually than breast and prostate cancers combined. Every 65 seconds, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with the disease for which there is no prevention, no treatment and no cure. It’s also one of the most costly diseases. Caring for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias currently costs one of every five Medicare dollars and is expected to rise to $1 of $3 by 2050 if a cure
isn’t found. Until one is found, it’s important to know these common myths about Alzheimer’s disease:
MYTH 1: MEMORY LOSS IS A NORMAL PART OF AGING. It’s normal to have occasional memory challenges as we age, such as forgetting the name of someone you just met. But frequent memory loss from Alzheimer’s disrupts your daily life, such as needing to rely on memory aids or family members for things that one previously handled themselves.
MYTH 2: ALZHEIMER’S IS NOT FATAL. Alzheimer’s disease is America’s seventh-leading cause of death. It slowly destroys brain cells, ultimately leading to loss of body functions and death.
MYTH 3: THE RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S IS THE SAME FOR EVERYONE. While the main risk factor for Alzheimer’s is aging, there are populations that are at greater risk. African-Americans are twice as likely as whites to be diagnosed, and His-
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