In the Philippines, Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Week aims to highlight the issues that need to be addressed in regards to this disease. Alzheimer’s disease is  a form of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown. However, scientists believe that it is triggered as a result of a combination of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s increases with age, but there are other factors that can contribute to the onset of this disease, which includes:

• Memory loss
• Repeatedly misplacing things
• Trouble recognizing and dealing with numbers
• Difficulty finding the right word
• Disorientation (confusion about the time and date, and their surroundings)
• Loss of judgement
• Difficulty in performing familiar tasks like cooking, dressing, brushing your teeth
• Changes in personality

Obviously, some of these factors can be minimized by a change in lifestyle and life choices. While there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease, treatments can, however, relieve its symptoms and improve quality of life for the person and their family and caregivers. Staying socially active, being physically active and having a sense of purpose – all of these and more can help improve brain health in any phase of life.