Your Health

Hispanic Perceptions Of Alzheimer’s

Posted 12/29/2010

The more you know about Alzheimer’s disease, the better able you’ll be to recognize it and take action.

(NAPSI) - When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease, one of the first steps toward early detection and better care is awareness. The Alzheimer’s Association recently found that the Latino community, a group that is one and 11/2 times more likely to have the disease than non-Hispanic whites, lacks that critical awareness.

In a survey funded by MetLife Foundation, as many as 64 percent of Hispanic respondents agreed their community is not sufficiently aware of the condition. While more than 90 percent knew Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease that causes memory loss, problems with thinking and behavior, only half knew it is fatal.

Fortunately, the findings also showed a desire to learn more. In response, the Alzheimer’s Association created a Spanish-language educational workshop to help people with the disease and their families explore the warning signs of Alzheimer’s. The workshop’s goal is to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s within the Hispanic community and provide much-needed information to families struggling to recognize the disease.

“Alzheimer’s disease is not normal aging. It is a complex brain disease that impacts much more than memory,” said Janis Robinson, Director of Diversity and Strategic Collaborations at the Alzheimer’s Association. “Knowing the warning signs of Alzheimer’s is critical to early detection and receiving the best care possible.” The workshop, entitled “Know the 10 Signs,” discusses the following 10 Warnings Signs of Alzheimer’s:

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life.

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems.

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at 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. Mood and personality changes.

Learn More

For more information on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s or to find a local Alzheimer’s Association chapter, visit www.alz.org/espanol.

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