Alzheimer's Foundation Of America Encourages Global Action On Awareness-Raising

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 25 Sep 2008 - 2:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

As the United Nations General Assembly convenes this week, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) is encouraging foreign leaders to collaborate on a global effort to advance a dialogue about minimizing the impact of Alzheimer's disease on the 26 million people worldwide currently living with the disease and those who will be affected in the future.

Eric J. Hall, AFA's president and CEO, said the increasing incidence of the disease worldwide - expected to quadruple by 2050 - warrants further awareness-raising on a global level, similar to the national advocacy efforts that AFA has been advancing in the United States.

As part of its outreach, AFA has been corresponding with UN delegates this week and is holding a reception for them on September 24.

"Together, we can more aggressively tackle this worldwide health crisis and optimize quality of life for those affected by this brain disorder," Hall said.

AFA is recommending additional education about prevention and the importance of early detection, ongoing disease management and caregiver support. And it is inviting countries to participate in its memory screening initiative, aimed at proper detection of memory problems and education about successful aging; and its AFA Quilt to Remember, a powerful arts project honoring those with Alzheimer's disease.

AFA has been holding National Memory Screening Day each November since 2003. Qualified healthcare professionals at community sites nationwide provide free confidential memory screenings to those concerned about memory loss or who want to establish a baseline score; the results do not represent a diagnosis.

This year, AFA will hold National Memory Screening Day on November 18 in the United States, and for the first time the Alzheimer's Foundation for Caregiving in Canada, AFA's sister organization, will introduce it in Canada.

The AFA Quilt to Remember marks the first grand-scale quilt that pays tribute to those affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Unveiled in 2005, the collection includes 110 heartfelt quilt blocks crafted by individuals and organizations across the United States.

Recently, AFA received its first international panels - from Canada and Brazil.

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in New York with 950 member organizations that provide hands-on programs to meet the educational, emotional and practical needs of families.

Alzheimer's Foundation of America