TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The month of June is recognized as Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, to bring awareness to one of the most common types of dementia and leading cause of death in U.S adults 65 or older.
“By the age of 85, about 1 in 3 people can have some form of dementia, it’s quite common," said Dr. Mark Zaetta, Optum - Arizona.
Dr. Zaetta says this disease is more common than we might think here at home living in a community with a large older population. The numbers are expected to triple to 14 million people by the time we reach 2060. Plus, the costs of treating Alzheimer’s disease is projected to jump more than $500 billion annually by the year 2040.
The first step is always identifying the signs like:
-Memory loss
-Difficulty concentrating
-Finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping
-Struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
-Being confused about time and place
-Mood changes
Dr. Zaetta says cases of dementia are becoming more common since the start of the pandemic with isolation playing a major contributing role to the increase of people getting diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
“I think isolation leads to a withdrawal from society where you're not making those connections, you're not expressing yourself through communication," he said. "When you start having less of those interactions, those parts of the brain tend to go to sleep.”
Despite those unfavorable statistics, some evidence has shown that various lifestyle changes can have short and long-term brain benefits. Dr. Zaetta explains to his patients in Tucson anything that is good for the heart is good for the brain. Exercise, healthy diet, and socialization is vital to your brain’s overall health and well being.
"Engaging more socially is one of the big things we can do as we get older, so keeping those connections with family and friends," said Dr. Zaetta.
The Optum Tucson Community Center offers support groups for older individuals to stimulate their minds and bodies. For more information on how this group can help, call 877-901-4436 or visit their website.
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Brooke Chau is a reporter for KGUN 9. She was a part of Fresno State's newscast, Fresno State Focus and interned at KFSN-ABC30 in Fresno, CA before coming to KGUN 9. Share your story ideas and important issues with Brooke by emailing brooke.chau@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
