Learn about dementia, for your sake and others’

Memory loss is common as we get older. Going to the grocery store and forgetting what you went there for. Trying to remember the name of an actor from your favorite movie. Even panicking because you have no idea where you left your keys.

These are experiences many people can relate to, especially once you reach your 50s.

But memory loss may be more than just a sign of aging. It can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s.

June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. More than 55 million people worldwide live with the disease or another type of dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Now is a great time to get checked, because early detection could make a major difference in how the disease progresses.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but doctors recommend medications like galantamine, rivastigmine and donepezil. They’re helpful, according to the National Institute on Aging, because they prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is important for memory and learning.

Put simply, the drugs help nerve cells communicate.

There are opportunities for everyone to observe Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. Spreading the word about the