Women's History Month in March is an opportunity to raise awareness about the increased risk and disproportionate impact Alzheimer's disease has on women
NEW YORK, March 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 100 years have passed since Dr. Alois Alzheimer first discovered the amyloid plaques and tau tangles that characterize Alzheimer's disease in the brain of a female patient. However, only in the last 35 years has research into the causes, treatments, symptoms, and risk factors of Alzheimer's gained momentum.
This is a special concern during Women's History Month since women are disproportionately impacted by this devastating, progressive brain disease. Today, nearly two-thirds of the more than 5 million Americans with Alzheimer's are women. In her 60s, a woman's estimated lifetime risk for developing the disease is 1 in 6. For breast cancer, it is 1 in 11.
There are several possible reasons why more women than men have Alzheimer's. The prevailing view is women live longer than men on average, and older age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's. However, emerging evidence suggests the greater risk for women could also potentially be due to biological or genetic variations, or even different life experiences, such as type and amount of education, occupational choices or rates of cardiovascular disease.
Women make up 60 percent of Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers in the country and more than one-third of dementia caregivers are daughters, often caring for both their parents and their own children. This places an unbalanced burden on women at work and at home, forcing them to make difficult choices about their careers, their relationships, and their futures. Because of caregiving duties, women are likely to experience adverse consequences in the workplace. Nearly 19 percent of women Alzheimer's caregivers had to quit work either to become a caregiver or because their caregiving duties became too burdensome.
Formed in 1980, the Alzheimer's Association advances research to end Alzheimer's disease and dementia while enhancing care for those living with the disease. The Alzheimer's Association is the largest private, nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's disease and dementia research, and has awarded $375 million to more than 2,400 research projects, including those that focus on identifying risk factors and treatments specific to women.
Until a cure is found, the Alzheimer's Association offers a number of resources online, by phone, in person, at our offices in midtown Manhattan, and at programs held in the community, wherever caregivers are most comfortable accessing information when they need it most. All services are provided free of charge.
The services listed below are available online at alz.org/nyc or by calling the professionally staffed 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900, which provides disease information and advice to more than 310,000 callers each year and translation services in over 200 languages.
- Free care consultations in-person at our NYC office, and by phone
- Safety services (MedicAlert + Safe Return) are available, because one in ten with Alzheimer's will wander
- TrialMatch is a free and easy to use clinical studies matching service
- ALZConnected is an online message board connects over 50,000 members who share their thoughts, questions and ideas 24 hours a day
- Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregiver Center (alz.org/care) is a comprehensive online resource for families
- Alzheimersnavigator.org is an online tool to map out a personal plan for Alzheimer's care and support
- Communityresourcefinder.org, lists local living facilities and services, day programs, medical resources, and more
SOURCE Alzheimer’s Association - NYC Chapter
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