2016-0376
Title
Proclamation: "National Alzheimer's Awareness Month"
Body
P R O C L A M A T I O N
WHEREAS, Alzheimer's Disease, a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain's nerve cells, is among the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States. It is estimated that as many as 5.1 million Americans have been diagnosed; and,
WHEREAS, Alzheimer's is the most common form of Dementia, a general term that describes a group of symptoms such as loss of memory, judgment, language, complex motor skills, and other intellectual function-caused by the permanent damage or death of the brain's nerve cells; and,
WHEREAS, Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 years and older; and,
WHEREAS, although every case of Alzheimer's disease is different, experts have identified common warning signs of the brain disease and it is important to look for signs that might indicate Alzheimer's disease versus basic forgetfulness or other conditions. Typical warning signs include: Memory loss, especially of recent events, names, placement of objects, and other new information, confusion about time and place, struggling to complete familiar actions, such as brushing teeth or getting dressed, trouble finding the appropriate words, completing sentences, and following directions and conversations, poor judgment when making decisions, changes in mood and personality, such as increased suspicion, rapid and persistent mood swings, withdrawal, and disinterest in usual activities, and difficulty with complex mental assignments, such as balancing a checkbook or other tasks involving numbers; and,
WHEREAS, although current Alzheimer's treatments cannot stop Alzheimer's from progressing, they can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve the quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers; and,
WHEREAS, today, there is a worldw...
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