June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month: How to protect your loved one

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – June is Brain and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the state of Kentucky has over 81,000 people aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s.

Jenny Jacobs is the founder of Defying Dementia and says it’s important to pay close attention to the signs.

“Oftentimes, people think, ‘oh it’s just being forgetful. right?’ The number one sign that I encourage people to look for is actually apathy. so, oftentimes it’s mistaken for depression or anxiety. We start seeing it after someone’s retired or maybe there’s been a life change,” Jacobs said.

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. Signs to pay attention to include short-term memory loss, getting lost and struggling to remember daily tasks, as well as mental health.

The state of Kentucky is also under a mental health crisis, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health. 

If these check off for you or a loved one, then getting tested by a health care provider is essential. Testing includes assessing the brain and paying attention to memory and problem solving.

“We ask a lot about your daily life and your routines. We want to know all about you. We even want to know what you watch on TV,” said Jacobs.

Jacobs started serving the community with her business after taking on a battle of dementia through her father. 

“My father had Parkinson’s Disease and later developed Dementia the last four to five years of his life. So, I felt the impact of it firsthand and really when I started Defying Dementia, I wanted to figure out how to support people who were kind in my situation,” she said.

Stacy Carter, the Senior Care Advisor with Pathway Senior Care Advisors, says having the early conversation and setting up a proactive plan can help save your loved one’s life.

“The key takeaway is to talk about it and try to plan ahead because you don’t want to get to the point where you can’t tell what you want and you are unable to state your wishes,” Carter said.

If you or a loved one is experiencing any signs, you must seek proper help to prevent dementia from progressing.

“A lot of times they just don’t call until it’s a crisis,” Carter said.

According to CDC.gov, Alzheimer’s is in the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States.