As a pharmacist, my job is toughest when I have to dispense medications that are used to treat (or slow the progression of) Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. This difficulty stems from not only the complexity of the disease, but also the fact that I lost my Oma to Alzheimer’s disease five years ago this month.

Watching someone decline due to Alzheimer’s disease is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. If you talk to people who have lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s disease, many will tell you that they lost their loved one twice:  once when they stopped recognizing them, and again when they actually passed away. As if it isn’t hard enough, right? Imagine telling your grandma that you love her, only to be confronted with a confused expression (or no expression at all) and a puzzled “Who are you?”  It’s absolutely devastating.

Did You Know?

• Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
• Alzheimer’s disease is the only disease in the top 10 causes of death that can’t be prevented, slowed, or cured.
• Every 67 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease.
• The annual global cost of Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to be $604 billion U.S. dollars.
• There are ways you can decrease your risk for cognitive decline!

If you don’t know that much about Alzheimer’s disease, I’m asking that you take a few minutes and visit www.alz.org, where you can learn more about the disease and how to detect it early. With early detection, treatment can start earlier and the disease will not progress as quickly. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Learn the difference between senility and Alzheimer’s disease (HINT: They’re not the same. Alzheimer’s is more than just forgetting things). Raise awareness by changing your social media profile pictures for the month of June.

I love you, Oma, forever and a day.