Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias
Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias
Alzheimer’s is an epidemic that shows zero signs of slowing down.
What is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia and is a specific disease. Dementia is not.
Though the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s is increasing age, the disease is not a normal part of aging. Most people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older. However, approximately 200,000 Americans under 65 have younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life while Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that is caused by complex brain changes following cell damage. Alzheimer’s leads to dementia symptoms that gradually worsen over time.
Examples of other types of dementia are:
| Lewy Body Dementia | Frontotemporal Dementia |
| Huntingtons Disease | Parkinson’s Disease |
2020
Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
alzheimer’s disease is the
6TH LEADING
CASE OF
DEATH
IN THE UNITED STATES
more than
5 million
Americans are living with Alzheimer’s
1 in 3 seniors
dies with alzhimer’s
or another dementia
In 2019, more than 16 million caregivers provided an estimated
18.6 billion hours of unpaid care
Alzheimer’s costs caregivers more than their time
family caregivers spend more than
caring for someone with Alzheimer’s
For some families that means
Missing Vacation
For others, it may mean
Going Hungry
every
65 seconds
Someone in the united states developes
the disease
in 2020, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation
$305 billion
It kills more than
breast and prostate cancer
combined
African-Americans are two
times as likely to get Alzheimer’s than their white counterparts
Americans age 65 and older currently have Alzheimer’s disease.
of Americans with the disease are African-Americans, and they bear 33% of it’s national cost.
Alzhimer’s is the 4th leading cause of death among older African-Americans.
ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITY
Dementia Certificate Program
This is an 8- week community based online course, focusing on three Healthy Brain Initiatives creating a Road Map of actions for learning communities.
Coming Soon
Dementia Dialogues
To provide a comprehensive and impactful curriculum, the Caregiver Education Series utilizes University of South Carolina’s Dementia Dialogues. Dementia Dialogues is composed of 5 modules.
Module #1 – Focuses on providing an overview of Alzheimer’s Disease and other related dementias.
Module #2 – Promotes strategies for effective communication between the caregiver and person with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Module #3 – Looks at issues with the environment and promoting independence.
Module #4 – Looks at challenging behaviors that arise during the course of dementia.
Module #5 – Explores creative ways to problem solve.
Interchangeably making use of the five modules, the Caregiver Education Series provides participants from partner organizations relevant information in caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Coming Soon
Dementia Action Plan
The Dementia Action Plan will train individuals and Community Based Organizations to implement high yield evidenced-based and/or evidence-informed healthy education and health promotion interventions that will improve the well-being of members of their local African American and underserved communities.
Coming Soon
Dementia Education Conference
Supporting, Educating & Empowering Our Caregiver Superheroes
COAACH’s 2020 Dementia Education Conference will play a central role in offering information, guidance, and supportive resources to caregivers to help them provide effective dementia care and attend to their own well-being.
SAVE THE DATE – Saturday June 26, 2021
Join the fight against Alzheimer's and other Dementias
Keeping brains healthy and strong to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.