The Nevada Department of Aging and Disability Services reminds people to be proactive during World Alzheimer’s Month
PRESS RELEASE
Nevada Care Connection, part of the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, Aging and Disability Services Division, is reminding Nevadans that September is World Alzheimer’s Month. Early detection and intervention significantly increase the quality of life for those with dementia, allowing them to live and thrive independently for as long possible.
As the lifespans of Nevadans increase, so does the likelihood that Nevada residents will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 45,000 Nevadans living with Alzheimer’s Disease. This number is expected to increase 56 percent to 64,000 in 2025. Early screenings and intervention are key to slowing symptoms and improving the quality of life for someone with Alzheimer’s. Currently, as many as half of people with Alzheimer’s disease are not diagnosed.
“Nevada has a high population over 65-years-old, which comes with a high percentage of people living with Alzheimer’s or dementia,” said Cheyenne Pasquale, Planning, Advocacy, and Community Services Unit Chief at the Nevada ADSD. “Increasing awareness and encouraging early screening and necessary intervention is the best way to achieve positive outcomes.”
The cost of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease in American society will total an estimated $277 billion by the end of 2018. This number could increase to $1.1 trillion in the year 2050 without early detection and intervention. In 2017, Nevada’s caregivers provided over 169 million hours of unpaid care to people with Alzheimer’s, totaling more than $2 billion according to the Alzheimer’s Association. That’s a total of $243,835 an hour or $67.73 per second.
ADSD and NCC hope to increase awareness, reduce stigma and enable people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and other related dementias to fully engage in their communities. Engaging Nevadans, including people living with dementia and their family caregivers, health care professionals and broader community stakeholders, in dialogue about Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias may increase local supportive services. Developing a community that is respectful, educated, supportive and inclusive of people living with dementia and their care partners can help increase prevention through early screening and diagnosis.
Caregivers and loved ones should look for common warning signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia. These signs include:
1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life
2. Challenges planning or solving problems
3. Difficulty completing tasks at home, work or at leisure
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgment
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood or personality
ADSD and the NCC encourage family members and caregivers of those experiencing the signs of dementia to visit www.nevadacareconnection.org to learn more about available resources. Caregivers can download the Nevada Dementia Roadmap for more information on the signs, symptoms and stages of cognitive impairment, and techniques to navigate through each stage and resources to help you along the way.
