World Alzheimer's Day 2021 – 'Know Dementia, Know Alzheimer's

World Alzheimer’s Day is celebrated on September 21 every year to spread awareness on the devastation of the disease and challenge the misinformation and stigma around this global problem.

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What is Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to gradual memory loss and behavioral changes. It is characterized by the pathological hallmark formation of beta-amyloid plaques and the tau proteins in the brain tissues, long (almost 20 to 30 years) before the actual symptoms occur. The frequency of amyloid-β deposition increases with age in healthy people with almost one-third of the population being affected after 65 years of age. The exact mechanism that drives or inhibits this amyloid-β progression remains masked.

One of the striking early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease is difficulty in remembering recent events.

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Trace the History of AD

The period when a Greek philosopher Pythagoras first described the mental and physical decline as “senium”, dates back to the 7th century BC. It was then that the philosopher spoke of “a human lifespan” and termed the late years of human life as the ‘senium’.

Later in the 17th century (the late 1500s & early 1600s), Shakespeare had also written the loss of mental acuity in old age in his great dramas like ‘Hamlet’ and ‘King Lear’.

Long after, it was in 1906, when a German psychiatrist Dr. Alois Alzheimer had detected the first brain tissue changes in a 50-year-old German woman who died of a strange mental illness. The disease was characterized by memory loss, unpredictable behavior, and language changes.

He was the first to find the presence of abnormal clumps (amyloid plaques) and fiber tangles (tau or neurofibrillary tangles) in the patient’s brain. The condition was then finally named after him as “Alzheimer’s disease” subsequently upon his discovery.

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Global Establishment

After the discovery of Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer Disease International (ADI) was later instituted in 1984. Upon their 10th anniversary, the organization proclaimed the set-up of the first World Alzheimer’s Day at their annual conference in Edinburgh on 21 September 1994.

This was followed by the launch of World Alzheimer’s Month in 2012. Ever since then, the whole of September is observed as World Alzheimer’s Month globally to signify the ways to support the disease.

The ADI also seeks out financial funding to create and dispense materials for World Alzheimer's Day around the globe.

Burden of Alzheimer's Disease

It is estimated that over 6 million senior Americans are affected by Alzheimer's disease. It thereby impacts 6 % of the public beyond the age of 65 years. Despite the high prevalence, data suggests that every 2 out of 3 people lack a proper understanding of the disease globally.

Moreover, the majority of them consider it as a normal part of aging, which is a complete misconception. There is a huge difference between normal aging and pathological accumulation of brain plaques for memory loss .

The devastating nature of the disease succumbs the patients to forget even their day-to-day activities and become completely dependent till they face death.

Hence, AD stands as a burden to not only the patients but also their caregivers. With little known data on the understanding of this worldwide disease burden, there exists a lot of misinformation regarding it.

World Alzheimer's Day 2021

The global 2021 theme for World Alzheimer's Month is 'Know Dementia, Know Alzheimer's'. The day concentrates on breaking the enigmas regarding Alzheimer's disease and demystifying dementia.

It also establishes the understanding of a timely diagnosis and warning signs of dementia. The day highlights the pain of people suffering from dementia and fosters methods for them to live well with dementia.

The Alzheimer's Society commits with global partners to conduct research and campaign for better learning and experience for everyone.

Dementia and Alzheimer's disease – Learn the Difference!

People often use the terms ‘Dementia’ and ‘Alzheimer’s’ interchangeably. However, they are NOT THE SAME!

• Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases that are characterized by gradual memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral changes.
• Nearly 50 million people are living with dementia globally.
• Depending upon the types of pathology, there are several types of dementia, one of the most common ones being – Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
• Alzheimer's disease typically impacts elderly people. However, it can also affect up to 5% of people at a younger age (40s or 50s).
• Certain types of dementia are vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body dementia.
• With a rise in lifespan and the elderly population, Alzheimer's disease is also hitting an alarming rate.
• Someone develops Alzheimer's disease every 68 seconds. In the UK, more than 850,000 people are breathing with dementia this year 2021.
• To date, there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease. Hence, it is important to detect the disease at its early stage to manage it effectively.
• Apart from treatment, the devastating conditions – both dementia and Alzheimer's disease also mandate family and social support.

Global Celebration

September is the global Alzheimer's month, which invites the public, patients, their caregivers, experts, industry representatives, scientists, and policymakers around the world to share knowledge on Alzheimer's disease.

“It is only through a truly global effort that we can raise much-needed awareness and challenge the stigma and misinformation that still surrounds dementia, and we are calling on everyone to do something during September, however small or large, through our campaign ‘Know Dementia, Know Alzheimer’s”, states the ADI on its event’s webpage.

People can also share their stories on social media, put up posters, distribute campaign guides fundraising tips & fact sheets, social media banners and organize various international events like shows, walkathons, webinars, and quizzes.

ADI has made the materials accessible in several languages like English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Get together in this celebration by simply bathing in the color of Alzheimer’s awareness – PURPLE!

Wear Purple!

The official color of the Alzheimer's movement is “purple”. The Alzheimer's Association joins hands to raise awareness on the dreadful disease through purple themes and lighting the landmarks in purple.

• One can support this novel cause online by turning their Facebook Purple and signifying the color through their profile pictures to raise awareness.
• You can also gear up in Purple as you step out or even share your images with friends and family.
• Use hashtags like #worldalzheimerday, #KnowDementia, and #KnowAlzheimers to support the awareness of AD on this World Alzheimer’s Day
• Donate to the Alzheimer’s Society to help the organization in supporting many people who are fighting the condition.

Initiatives Undertaken

ADI together with the various supportive organizations has set up the events to ensure no one faces dementia alone. It also high spots the necessity for people with dementia to know that they are not alone in their community.

Some of the events include:

• Dementia Action Week was initiated on 20th September by Australia.
• Russia plans to congregate a team that will run together against dementia.
• Alongside, Czech Republic also raises awareness about dementia through concerts and ultimately helps in funding the Czech Alzheimer Society.

ADI’s ‘Journey Through the Diagnosis of Dementia’

“Receiving a diagnosis of dementia is often a challenging and difficult process and varies greatly around the world. To add to this, the stigma surrounding dementia means that many avoid seeking a diagnosis until the very late stages of the condition,” says ADI on its 2021 theme page.

Hence, to break the ice, the ADI plans to release its annual World Alzheimer’s Report titled “Journey Through the Diagnosis of Dementia” on 21 Sept., which emphasizes diagnosis this year.

The report is constructed with more than 3,500 responses to online surveys, thereby featuring first-hand patient practices and contributions from clinicians and caregivers.

“We strongly believe that our combined experience and expertise in dementia-related illnesses will provide a tangible, meaningful, and inclusive report on diagnosis and the management of dementia to Alzheimer’s Disease International,” says Serge Gauthier, MD, of the McGill team in a statement on the ADI website.

Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

With conflicting impacts of Alzheimer's disease on the quality of life, it is important to note the warning signs of the condition to prevent further worsening. This includes:

• Forgetfulness to recent memories
• Misplacing of the things
• Mood changes
• Challenges with completion of familiar tasks at home or work
• Difficulty in judgment and solving problems
• Difficulty in remembering time or place
• Social withdrawal

How to Manage Alzheimer’s Disease?

• Engage yourself in leisure activities like reading, writing, playing musical instruments, or taking education courses.
• Play indoor games like chess, solving crosswords, and puzzles.
• Refrain yourself from stress.
• Have a healthy nutritious diet.
• Practice daily exercise, walking, and meditation like yoga as a ‘healthy mind resides in a healthy body'.
• Have a regular adequate sleep.
• Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking.
• Moreover, it is the responsibility of everyone to perform their bits in establishing a dementia-friendly community.

“THE DAY WITH THE MOST LIGHT IS THE DAY WE FIGHT! ®” – The Alzheimer's Association.

Join hands to fight the global burden of this deadly disease and make the world a better place to live.

References:

1. World Alzheimer's Month - (https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/world-alzheimers-month)
2. World Alzheimer's Day - (https://www.nhp.gov.in/World-Alzheimers-Day_pg)
3. World Alzheimer's Day & Month - (https://www.age-platform.eu/event/world-alzheimers-day-month)
4. World Alzheimer’s Day - (https://www.ideas.org.au/event-listing/details/2021-09-21/1420-world-alzheimer-s-day.html)
5. World Alzheimer's Day 2021 - (https://www.gov.za/speeches/world-alzheimers-day-2021-13-oct-2020-1357)
6. World Alzheimer’s Month - (https://www.alzint.org/get-involved/world-alzheimers-month/)
7. THE DAY WITH THE MOST LIGHT IS THE DAY WE FIGHT®! - (https://www.alz.org/abam/overview.asp#takeActionBox)

Source-Medindia