I've been with Alzheimer's Services for almost 4 months. Prior to becoming an employee, my knowledge of Alzheimer's Disease was quite limited. When I was in highschool, a friend's dad was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease and related dementia. I remember the toll his illness took on his family, and my friend, who, as a teenager, lost her dad.
It wasn't until I came to Alzheimer's Services, however, that I realized the true impact of Alzheimer's disease on younger individuals. Furthermore, I began to see how so many of us in our 20s and 30s are either unaware of the disease or just aren't interested because it doesn't really affect us right now. Many people think about the disease and immediately visualize the elderly. The stories we tell are about a grandmother or a great uncle. The reality is that in the next 10 years, the stories could become about our own parents.
Early-Onset Alzheimer's is on the rise. Those baby boomers are coming into their 60s and people are living longer, into the age of Alzheimer's. Statistics show that Alzheimer's affects 1 in 8 over the age of 65. To give a little perspective, my husband's parents will be over 65 in 10 years. If one of them developed Alzheimer's disease, we would become caregivers in our 30s.
Many people in their 20s and 30s don't think about Alzheimer's because they can't get it yet. That doesn't mean we won't be faced with caring for a loved one who does. It is my hope that my generation can begin to see that this disease can affect them sooner than they think and not shy away or brush the topic aside. Raising awareness now will better prepare us for what may come in the future.
For more information about Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Services, visit our website at www.BRhope.com.
It wasn't until I came to Alzheimer's Services, however, that I realized the true impact of Alzheimer's disease on younger individuals. Furthermore, I began to see how so many of us in our 20s and 30s are either unaware of the disease or just aren't interested because it doesn't really affect us right now. Many people think about the disease and immediately visualize the elderly. The stories we tell are about a grandmother or a great uncle. The reality is that in the next 10 years, the stories could become about our own parents.
Early-Onset Alzheimer's is on the rise. Those baby boomers are coming into their 60s and people are living longer, into the age of Alzheimer's. Statistics show that Alzheimer's affects 1 in 8 over the age of 65. To give a little perspective, my husband's parents will be over 65 in 10 years. If one of them developed Alzheimer's disease, we would become caregivers in our 30s.
Many people in their 20s and 30s don't think about Alzheimer's because they can't get it yet. That doesn't mean we won't be faced with caring for a loved one who does. It is my hope that my generation can begin to see that this disease can affect them sooner than they think and not shy away or brush the topic aside. Raising awareness now will better prepare us for what may come in the future.
For more information about Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Services, visit our website at www.BRhope.com.
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