Raising Awareness of Alzheimer’s in Gilbert and Chandler

Did you know that roughly 1 out of every 9 people age 65 or older has Alzheimer’s disease?

Each year, November is recognized as Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. A time dedicated to raising awareness, supporting those affected, and advocating for further research.

Alzheimer’s Statistics

• Over 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s
• By 2050, that number is expected to nearly double
• Roughly 1 out of 9 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s
• Nearly 12 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementia
• About 80% of Americans would want to know if they had Alzheimer’s before having symptoms, or before said symptoms interfered with their daily activities

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

There are many symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Most are memory-related, but not all. Making it vital to understand if you experience several symptoms, to see your primary care physician. Symptoms include memory loss, poor judgment, loss of initiative, taking longer than usual to complete daily tasks, repeating questions, trouble paying bills, wandering off and getting lost, misplacing items in odd places, mood changes, increased aggression, and difficulty with language.

Many of these are typical changes that occur with aging. Thus, it is important to understand if your symptoms rise to a severe enough level to go to a doctor and get checked out.

Alzheimer’s vs Typical Aging

There are several common changes you may encounter while you age. Keep a close eye on them to see if they rise to the level of a potential symptom of Alzheimer’s. Read below to see the difference between some common changes that may occur as you age, compared to the symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Local Resources

The Alzheimer’s Association’s Desert Southwest Chapter supports those affected by Alzheimer’s in Arizona and Nevada.

Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium provides resources to learn more about the disease and information that caregivers can use to help support their efforts.

Findhelp provides a list of programming and other dementia support resources in the Gilbert-Chandler area on their website.

Can Griswold Provide Alzheimer’s Support?

Yes, we understand that caring for a loved one with memory loss requires an added level of care, compassion, and patience. Behavioral changes are common, and family members may struggle to understand or manage care. Griswold Caregivers may have experience supporting memory loss patients. Our Caregivers will take extra steps to reintroduce themselves every time they arrive, prepare meals that accommodate struggles with utensils, stimulate short-term memory through cognitive activities, and interact with them in their version of reality.

If you or a loved one is struggling with Alzheimer’s, give us a call. We’d be happy to chat about your care options. We can often have a Caregiver to your home within 24 hours of inquiry.