World Alzheimer's Day

Noongom (today) is the 18th annual World Alzheimer's Day, a worldwide initiative, sponsored by Alzheimer's Disease International, to raise awareness about the degenerative brain disease that is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer's disease most often strikes elders over the age of 60, but the disease can be present in persons younger than 60. Many people will be wearing the signature color purple and participating in events to raise money for charities that fund research and fight this devastating disease.

To learn more about Alzheimer's disease, check out the following sites:

• Mayo Clinic - Alzheimer's Disease: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161
• Minnesota Department of Health - Alzheimer's Disease: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/hpcd/alzheimer/
• National Institutes of Health - National Institute on Aging - Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center: http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers
• NIH - National Library of Medicine - MedlinePlus - Alzheimer's Disease [AD]: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html
• NIH - PubMed Health - Alzheimer's Disease: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001767/
• NIH - Senior Health: http://nihseniorhealth.gov/alzheimersdisease/
• New York Times - Health Guide - Alzheimer's Disease: http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/alzheimers-disease/overview.html
• University of Minnesota - Health Talk - Alzheimer's: http://www.health.umn.edu/healthtalk/tag/alzheimers/
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Eldercare - Alzheimer's Disease: http://www.eldercare.gov/eldercare.net/public/resources/topic/Alzheimer_Disease.aspx

For more on advocacy for people with Alzheimer's and awareness-raising noongom and throughout the whole month of September, please visit:

• Alzheimer's Association: http://www.alz.org
• Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter: http://www.alz.org/mnnd/
• Alzheimer's Foundation of America: http://www.alzfdn.org
• Friends of the National Alzheimer's Project Act: http://www.friendsofnapa.org
• Minnesota Memory Project: http://www.mnmemoryproject.org

Forgetfulness is a common part of aging, but Alzheimer's disease substantially affects one's quality of life and ability to function on a day-to-day basis and may even put the individual at risk of harm to self and others. If you suspect that you or a loved one has Alzheimer's disease, write down your concerns and consult a trusted medical professional about those concerns; your doctor can help if you need a referral. The earlier the disease is caught, the better.