Stats to Know for National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

While it is commonly associated with people later in life, there is profound benefit for people of all ages to understand and identify the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, can develop as a result of many factors including age, genetics, environment, and current mental and physical health. For many people, seeing basic statistics about a condition like Alzheimer’s can help paint a clearer picture of how common it is and why it’s so important to be aware of risk factors. That’s why our healthcare providers wanted to share the following statistics on Alzheimer’s Disease recently collected by The Alzheimer’s Association:

• About 6.7 million Americans age 65 or older are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Alzheimer’s disease accounts for an estimated 60% – 80% of all dementia cases reported in the US.
• There is a strong link between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s. Roughly one-third of people who experience MCI develop dementia due to Alzheimer’s within five years.
• Women are nearly twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
• Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s, as the percentage of people with Alzheimer’s dementia increases significantly with age. 5% of people aged 65 to 74, 13% of people aged 75 to 84, and 33% of people aged 85 or older will experience Alzheimer’s disease.
• Just over 5% of people with Alzheimer’s disease start developing symptoms before the age of 65.

It can be difficult to fully prevent Alzheimer’s disease, as many of the most common risk factors are out of the person’s control. However, there are certain things that a person can do to reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This includes exercising regularly, avoiding smoking and other nicotine products, not drinking alcohol in excess, keeping your brain active with puzzles and other forms of stimulation as you age, and maintaining an active social life.

Generally speaking, maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle can be extremely helpful in the fight against Alzheimer’s. In addition to understanding your risk, it’s important to keep up with your annual wellness visits with a board-certified healthcare provider. For more information on Alzheimer’s or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, Lilburn and Loganville.