June was Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, but the Michigan Alzheimer’s Association says they should be year-round priorities.
More than 200,000 Michiganders over age 65 are living with Alzheimer’s, although only about half receive a doctor’s diagnosis. That can delay necessary care and future planning.
Kathryn Ribant Payne with the Alzheimer’s Association in Michigan says this year, the focus is on educating the public about how to take control of their brain health. She says when there’s a concern, early diagnosis is key.
“We’re kind of coming into an era of treatment where we’re seeing treatments come down the pipeline that necessitate early diagnosis,” Ribant Payne said. “So if people are experiencing cognitive decline that they’ve noticed or their family members have noticed, we really encourage them to speak to their health care provider.”
Ribant Payne says up to 40% of dementia cases could be caused by risk factors that a person could change by developing healthy habits. Those include challenging yourself by learning new things and staying in school.
Not smoking, getting regular exercise, and properly managing other diseases, like diabetes and high blood pressure, also improve brain health.
