Women Honoring Women: During Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. It is a time to learn about Alzheimer’s disease and take action toward increasing Alzheimer’s awareness.
More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Almost two-thirds of these individuals are women. A woman’s estimated lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer’s at age 65 is 1 in 5. As real a concern as breast cancer is to women’s health, women in their 60s are about twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s during the rest of their lives as they are to develop breast cancer.
To honor the women in your life, the Alzheimer’s Association is asking you to get involved in The Longest Day, the Association’s second signature fundraiser. The Longest Day is the day with the most light, the summer solstice, June 20. Longest Day participants choose an activity that they love or one the person they are honoring loves. They encourage others to do the activity also and/or donate toward their fundraising efforts. They can fundraise any time and then everyone celebrates on June 20 when we virtually come together to fight the darkness of Alzheimer’s. Activity choices are endless! Crafting, fishing, yoga, playing games, gardening or making cookies are great examples. These activities can be done alone or as you social distance from family and friends. The Longest Day staff and volunteers are available every step of the way with tools, tips and coaching and each participant is given access to their own fundraising webpage.
Be part of women honoring women and have great pride as a Longest Day participant who is using their creativity and passion to raise funds and awareness for the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. You are invited to register for The Longest Day at alz.org/tld.
The Alzheimer’s Association offers a 24/7 help line, a robust website with many different kinds of resources for individuals with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers including virtual education programs and virtual support groups. No one should go through Alzheimer’s alone. ■
Alzheimer’s disease is a women’s issue.
• Almost two-thirds of Americans living with Alzheimer’s are women.
• More than 60 percent of Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers are women.
• More specifically, over one-third of dementia caregivers are daughters.
• 24/7 Helpline is 800.272.3900.
• Alzheimer’s Association – Heart of America Chapter website is alz.org/kansascity.
• Learn more at alz.org/women.
Written by: Juliette B. Bradley
