Throughout the month of June you may see people wearing purple, or hear about programs & events pertaining to the fight to end Alzheimer’s. That's because June marks the month dedicated to the awareness of Alzheimer’s and other memory disorders. Organizations, such as the Alzheimer’s Association, work to raise money to fund research and treatments for those suffering from Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s disease affects roughly 5.7 million Americans each day, yet there are still many misconceptions and unknowns about the memory degenerative disease. Common misconceptions about Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia include the idea that Alzheimer’s is normal to the aging process. However, Alzheimer’s affects around 200,000 Americans who are under the age of 65 and often times the disease is misdiagnosed. Some common symptoms can include:
- Difficulty remembering newly
learned information - Disorientation
- Mood and behavior changes
- Changes in the limbic system of the brain including the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, and hypothalamus which contribute to memory
- Deepening confusion about events, time, and place
- Misplaced suspicions about close family and friends
- Difficulty in speaking, swallowing, and walking
If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself, a family member, or a friend and have questions about Alzheimer’s, you can call the Alzheimer’s Association hotline at 1-800-272-3900. You should always talk to your doctor about any changes in your health or any symptoms you may have noticed.
Additionally, if you have an interest in mental health or geriatrics and would like to learn more, Hocking College has classes available to students admitted into the Nursing program throughout the academic year. Classes include Adult/Geriatrics classes, which focus on a multitude of health subjects pertaining to the care of elderly patients.
Hocking College also offers an Adult and Mental Health class that focuses on the wide range of various mental diseases, as well as different ways to care and treat patients suffering from those diseases. Classes include lectures and clinicals that give you real life, hands-on experience with a wide range of patients. The world is your classroom at Hocking College.
