Memory care is a complicated topic, with lots of statistics and information to take in. If you or a loved one is in need of memory care, it’s important to have a basic understanding of what to expect. Here are six fascinating facts about memory care:
Fact #01: Dementia affects people differently. Each person with dementia will experience their own unique set of symptoms, which can vary in severity from day to day or even hour to hour. This makes it difficult to determine when it’s time to seek memory care.
Fact #02: Memory loss is often just the beginning of a person’s decline into dementia. In most cases, people don’t get diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia until approximately seven years after they begin experiencing symptoms.
Fact #03: There are many different types of dementia. Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of cognitive disabilities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, but there are many other types as well, including Lewy body disease, vascular dementia and frontotemporal dementia.
Fact #04: Approximately 2/3 of Americans with Alzheimer’s Disease are women. Women in their 60s are over twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s disease throughout the rest of their lifetime as they are to get breast cancer.
Fact #05: There is no cure for memory loss or other cognitive disabilities. Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured because their causes may not yet be known. Additionally, many of these diseases impact different areas of the brain, so a “cure” for one may not work for another.
Fact #06: Alzheimer’s disease affects over 6 million people worldwide. This number will keep growing as life expectancy increases (and more people reach their golden years). The Alzheimer’s Association predicts that the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease will reach over 12.5 million people by the year 2050.
Fact #07: Physical, psychological, social, and economic effects of dementia extend far beyond those who have the disease. It also affects the family and caregivers of those who live with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Whether you are looking for more information on how to provide memory care for someone close in your life or just want to know more about what is happening at communities that provide these services, let us help! As the number of older Americans grows rapidly, so too will the number of new and existing cases of Alzheimer’s disease.
Avanti Senior Living’s Memory Care program, Salize, is based on years of research geared towards those living with dementia. We offer innovative memory care services that empower residents to live life to the fullest while living in an environment conducive to freedom of choice and independence.
