AHWATUKEE, AZ — "So often when dementia enters a family's life, the first question is, ‘What do I do?’," says Chris Schneider, Communications Director for the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.
Inside the Ahwatukee Event Center, Thursday, it was a room packed full of listening ears. Including, Debra Zeman of North Phoenix.
"We need more of these. We need more seminars on Alzheimer's,” Zeman says.
The Alzheimer's and Caregiving Educational Conference teaches about the disease, brain health and caregiving tips.
Zeman is in her 70’s and has lost three loved ones to Alzheimer’s.
“The more you learn, the more you can address it in your personal life,” Zeman says.
Arizona is the first of 10 states where researchers speak to give resources to those affected by the disease.
"In the United States right now, there's about 6 million people living with Alzheimer's Disease,” Schneider says. In Arizona, 150,000 live with the disease, according to Schneider.
“Arizona has an aging population. So, Arizona's population of people ages 65+ from 2010 to 2020 grew by nearly 50%,” Schneider says.
Schneider expects the number of those living with Alzheimer’s to increase in Arizona and across the country, possibly doubling by 2060.
And at the conference, free memory screenings are being performed.
Schneider says there are lifestyle choices you can make right now to reduce your risk of developing dementia. Those include getting regular exercise, sleep, limiting alcohol, exercising your brain, and quitting smoking.
If you couldn’t go to today’s conference, you can visit this website or call 866-232-8484 for more information.