Nov. 6, 2024
By Sena Fidan
Staff Writer
Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, which takes place annually in November, is a time to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and show support for those affected by it. This includes those whose health is impacted by Alzheimer’s and those who provide them with the support they need, whether it be a family member, nurse or any other caregiver.
Former president Ronald Reagan designated November as Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in 1983, a year before his own diagnosis.
Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die. This slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, eventually eliminating one’s ability to carry out daily tasks.
Sophomore Henry Keefe said his great-aunt, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about two years ago, struggles daily with symptoms of the disease.
“She’s in a constant state of confusion that no one could really control,” Keefe said. “People tell her [something], and she forgets the next minute.”
Keefe said he sees his great-aunt when she leaves her nursing home to attend family events.
“Every time I’ve seen her, she seems happy, but not sure of what is really going on. I was never close to her, but it hurts to hear about [her disease] since I’ve known her for all my life,” Keefe said.
He said Alzheimer’s has not only impacted his great-aunt but their entire family.
“People lose themselves very slowly,” Keefe said. “It’s disturbing to see.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, of the 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older who have Alzheimer’s, almost two-thirds are women.
INFOGRAPHIC BY JOSEPH BRENNEN, SOURCE: The Alzheimer’s Association
Alzheimer’s has also impacted English teacher Ms. Rendzia’s family. Her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about two years ago but has exhibited symptoms since 2020.
“[Before she developed Alzheimer’s,] she was my best friend, and we talked every day, sometimes more than once a day,” Rendzia said. “She’s not my mom anymore.”
Catching Alzheimer’s disease can be tricky. The early symptoms of this disease include subtle signs like forgetting about recent conversations or events, forgetting names of places and objects, having trouble thinking of the right word and misplacing items. It is easy to disregard these signs, especially since Alzheimer’s is most common among individuals 65 and older, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
“It feels like an exaggeration to say that he’s a completely different person, but so much of his personality has changed.”
Rendzia said the first symptom she noticed was that her mother was forgetting words.
“[She would have] complete conversations, but then she would be like, ‘Oh, what’s that thing?’” Rendzia said. “I think as a natural reaction, it would be played off [by my mom] like a joke.”
While Alzheimer’s has been represented in movies like “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks and “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova as well as the books they are based on, Rendzia said media portrayals of the disease do not fully depict the reality of living with and witnessing it.
Rendzia said before her mother’s illness, she thought people with Alzheimer’s just had a bad memory or were scatterbrained.
“They forget everything,” Rendzia said. “It changes everything.”
Rendzia said her father is her mother’s main caretaker, and the disease has taken a significant toll on their relationship.
“He calls her ‘my bride’ now, but she doesn’t remember him that way,” Rendzia said. “He’ll show her pictures of their wedding, and she has no idea that’s her.”
Though memory loss is a primary symptom of Alzheimer’s disease, it is not the sole indicator of the disease. Alzheimer’s comes with many other components, like sudden, high levels of agitation and anger.
Sophomore Gabriel Campos, whose grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s earlier this year, said his grandfather exhibits these symptoms towards his children but not his grandchildren.
“It feels like an exaggeration to say that he’s a completely different person, but so much of his personality has changed,” Campos said.
Even as the disease progresses, Campos said he continues to have a special connection with his grandfather.
“He’s never changed the way he is with me,” Campos said. “As tough as it is, [it] is very comforting to know [that] as much as his brain has changed, how he feels towards me and my sister and his other grandchildren has never changed.”
Alzheimer’s not only alters the memory but also reshapes the lives of all who are connected to someone with the disease.
There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s, but by raising awareness, funding research and offering care, individuals can offer comfort and honor the memories of those who cannot honor their own. Those seeking support can contact the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America at its toll-free helpline, which is open seven days a week and is staffed entirely by licensed social workers specifically trained in dementia care. They can be reached through phone (866-232-8484), text (646-586-5283) and web chat (alzfdn.org).
