Teaching Community About Alzheimer’s

Queens Courier

by Pete Davis

October 1, 2010

In honor of Alzheimer’s Awareness Day and Hispanic Heritage Month, State Senator José Peralta and Alzheimer’s Association’s NYC Chapter sponsored a forum in Jackson Heights to educate residents about the disease.

More than 50 people attended the forum, which was held in English and Spanish, to discuss the disease, symptoms and treatments.

Panelists including Gonzalo Vazquez-Caslas from Cognitive Rehabilitation Service, Dante Tipiani from the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Maria D’Urso from Visiting Nurse Service, Maureen Hinkleman of Hospice Care NY and Roy Carmona from the NYC Department for the Aging presented hospice and palliative care options, the impact the devastating disease has on patients and families and resources/support for families and caregivers.

“Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that affects both patients and families,” Peralta said. “The lack of resources and information in the Spanish language is a serious barrier for Latinos when they are faced with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. I hope this forum will provide assistance and resources to individuals, families and caregivers who dealing with this challenging disease.”

More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, and it is the seventh leading cause of death. This incurable, degenerative and terminal disease is mostly diagnosed in people over 65 years of age, although the less-prevalent, early-onset Alzheimer's can occur much earlier. In 2006, there were 26.6 million sufferers worldwide. Alzheimer's is predicted to affect 1 in 85 people globally by 2050.