September is World Alzheimer’s Month

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) – World Alzheimer’s Month takes place every September, bringing local and global opportunities to raise dementia awareness and support people affected by the disease.

Tabby Wiiest, program manager for Hilltop Senior Daybreak, says that the disease doesn’t just impact its victims. “It’s a situation that really impacts everybody. We are about to see an increase in diagnosis because the baby boomer generation, our largest generation, is about to enter into the risk window of 65 for diagnosis.”

In 2023, nearly seven million Americans were living with the disease. As of March 2024, an estimated 91,000 Coloradans 65 and older have been diagnosed with the disease. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates the number of cases in Coloradans 65 and older will rise as time goes on.

Alzheimer’s is a disease that impacts the brain. Plaque can build up inside the brain and affect the ability for brain cells to function properly. The disease can cause cognitive defects that develop over time.

The disease has a varied timeline between different people, and may progress fully within three years, or it can take up to 20 years to run its course.

The average progression time for Alzheimer’s is 12 years.

There is no cure for the disease and the symptoms are currently irreversible, though there are treatments under development.

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