World Alzheimer's Day
According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, there are over 100 forms of dementia. The most well-known variety being Alzheimer’s disease. With more than 55 million people worldwide living with Alzheimer’s, it’s important to raise awareness about this terrible disease. World Alzheimer’s Day, observed annually on September 21st, is the perfect opportunity to share information, raise awareness, and challenge the stigmas that surround Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other types of dementia.
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects behavior, memory, and thinking. Alzheimer’s disease is progressive, and it worsens over time. There are several stages within Alzheimer’s. In early stages, memory loss can be quite mild, but by the time one reaches late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, they lose the motor skills and cognition required for conversation, daily activities, and responding to the environment around them.
The most common symptom of Alzheimer’s is difficulty with retaining newly learned information. As the disease advances, it leads to increasingly severe symptoms including mood and behavior changes; disorientation; worsening confusion about events, time, and places; abnormal suspicions about family and friends, and even professional caregivers; as well as increased memory loss, difficulty with mobility, speaking, and swallowing.
How Can We Fight Alzheimer’s?
While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease at this time, many groups advocate for support and research via the Alzheimer’s Association®. The Alzheimer’s Association® is the nation’s leading force behind the effort to cure Alzheimer’s by accelerating global research to discover new treatments and prevention methods; advocating for change with people-first policies; and providing local support to millions of family members dealing with the impact of Alzheimer’s. Looking for more information about Alzheimer’s? Check out some of these resources provided by the Alzheimer’s Association®:
10 Warning Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s
Purple Sneaker Kick-Off
Here at Aiken Memory Care, we are actively involved in the fight against Alzheimer’s and dementia. Together with our management, William James Group, we are working together to raise awareness about the necessary work of the Alzheimer’s Association® by getting creative with our fundraising efforts for our community’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s® event. As senior living professionals, we all have a personal experience with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and we are proud to be part of the Purple Sneaker Kick-off – a signature of William James Group.
We held our inaugural Purple Sneaker Kick-off on August 16th, and had a wonderful time collaborating with our community to host an amazing family festival, all to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association®. Additionally, we will participate in our local Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on September 13th, here in Aiken, South Carolina. Want to donate to our Walk team? Click here!
The Future of Alzheimer’s
While the future remains unclear, exciting developments are still underway, and hope prevails! In July of 2025, important findings were published from the U.S. POINTER clinical trial, which found that “two lifestyle interventions targeting a combination of physical activity, improving nutrition, cognitive and social challenge, and health monitoring improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. While both interventions improved cognition, the cognitive benefits were even greater for participants in the more structured intervention group, helping to protect thinking and memory from the normal decline that often comes with aging over the nearly two-year period of the study.”
The principle investigator on the U.S. POINTER clinical trial highlights that while access to certain things does differ, even the mild changes can make a difference:
"The potential to improve cognition with fewer resources and lower participant burden is compelling. It highlights that while not everyone has the same access or ability to adhere to more intensive behavior interventions, even modest changes may protect the brain."
- Laura D. Baker, Ph.D., U.S. POINTER principal investigator
This positive result is a major development in the fight to end Alzheimer’s, and we are dedicated to continuing our support of the Alzheimer’s Association in support of the millions impacted by this disease, especially those in our very own community.
This World Alzheimer’s Day, consider sharing your connection to the cause, and join the chorus of millions raising awareness to improve the lives of those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia every single day.