Alzheimer's 101

From Tara Coates
Christine Terry of the Alzheimer's Association urged AARP members to take measures now to prevent, or slow the spreading of, the disease by keeping their brains healthy through stimulation activities, such as:

• Staying socially active
• Staying physically fit
• Playing brain games (crosswords, word searches, etc.)
• Adopting a brain healthy diet (low cholesterol, low fat)
• Being heart healthy
• Keeping stress levels low

Terry noted that while advancing age and genetic predisposition are key risk factors, researchers have also identified several others, including: a history of head injuries, and the presence of Parkinson's disease, diabetes or heart disease. Currently, 1 in 8 people older than 65 is affected, as are half of those older than 85. The cost to treat Alzheimer's: $149 billion annually.