Yesterday, I taught a group of our Home Instead Senior Care CAREGivers about Alzheimer's. As part of our C.A.R.E. initiative, we are teaching not only our caregivers but families as well.
As I taught the class, I couldn't help but notice one attendee who was not engaged in the material. After our initial period of instruction, we took a short break where I seized the opportunity to ask why she seemed so distant from the rest of the class. She replied, "This doesn't apply to me. I don't have any clients that have Alzheimer's."
It struck me just how typical that attitude is with regards to Alzheimer's and other dementia. And just how inaccurate. Since Dr.Alzheimer first discovered the plaques and tangles which are the indicators of the disease, there have been great advancements made. 100 years of medical research has brought an end to a number of formerly deadly diseases and chronic conditions. The human brain, however, remains an outlier. After a century of funding and research, scientists still stand in amazement at the marvel of the human mind.
As a Christian, it is my belief that I am not an accidental collection of cells that somehow, after a billion years of trial and error, managed to put themselves together in a manner that encompasses every facet of my functioning body as well as my personality. To take a hard look at the human body and believe that it is simply the result of chance requires, in my opinion, a far greater amount of faith than belief in a creator. I see intricate designs and systems which work in perfect harmony with one another. I see passions, desires, and creativity which make no sense in the scheme of "survival of the fittest" and would have likely been lost throughout the millenia if evolution were the only explanation for our existence. If the brutal battle for survival is solely responsible for our survival as a species then I think we should be a far less compassionate and reasoned people than we find ourselves. I digress.
On the matter of Alzheimer's and dementia, there is very little to show for 100 years of study. At this point, we cannot tell you who is more likely to develop Alzheimer's. We cannot tell you what causes Alzheimer's. We cannot therefore tell you how to prevent Alzheimer's. We are unable to effectively treat Alzheimer's. And we are unable to cure Alzheimer's. That is the reality of this tragic disease. The other tragic portion is the statistical inevitability that each and every one of us will be affected by it.
The greatest risk factor associated with Alzheimer's and other dementias is advancing age. The older you get, the more likely you are to develop symptoms. In 2011, the Alzheimer's Association reported that an estimated 5.4 million Americans of all ages have a type of dementia. Over the age of 65, the number of people with Alzheimer's narrows to one out of every eight. If you live to the age of 85 or beyond your risk of Alzheimer's increases to one out of two.
You may choose to bury your head in the sand and pray that you will not be one of the people struck with Alzheimer's. You may not have anyone in your immediate circle who is currently struggling with dementia. Since half of all seniors who live to be 85 will be stricken with this tragic disease, it is unreasonable to assume that you will not be affected in some way.
Join us for a family education event in Chapel Hill on December 4th and 6th from 6pm-8:30pm. The classes will be held at the Chapel Hill Carrboro Chamber of Commerce office, 104 S. Estes Dr. Chapel Hill, NC. Please RSVP to 919.933.3300 so that we can provide adequate materials for all in attendance. I look forward to seeing you there!
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