May was Mental Awareness Month. One group overlooked is Alzheimer’s patients. While Alzheimer’s is related to dementia, to caregivers and others it is a mental health problem.
We are all aware plaque building up in arteries causes heart attacks. Alzheimer’s is plaque building up in the brain causing loss of memory, speech, bodily functions. Alzheimer’s patients cannot speak for themselves as cancer or heart patients.
Therefore, loved ones tend to keep them in the home or in nursing homes, out of site, out of mind. We protect our loved ones from people seeing them -- from themselves -- in that mental state.
We really weren’t aware of Alzheimer’s until Ronald Reagan in 1994. As an example Aircept never came to market until 1996, Namanda 2003. We are making progress in research. One scientist said on TV recently, “We need to make the public aware, we need to catch it in early stages. I predict with new research, new medicines coming on the market, in time Alzheimer’s patients will be taking medicine daily, the same as a heart patient takes aspirin, thus delaying the progress in terms of years.”
The Fremont Area Alzheimer’s Association through its fundraising efforts is participating in that research. One grant has been made to Dr. William Burke, University of Nebraska Medical Center, a leader in Alzheimer’s research. A second grant to Alzheimer’s disease research, founded in 1985, they have made $78 million in research grants, currently funding 54 study projects.
You may contact for support groups and/or contribute to Alzheimer’s by writing to Alzheimer’s Committee, % Fremont Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 182, Fremont, NE 68026-0182.
Marvin G. Welstead
Fremont Area Alzheimer’s Committee, honorary chairperson
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