Fort Worth is making headway in addressing the challenges faced by those affected by Alzheimer's and Dementia. Tarrant County Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks is hosting the 9th Annual Healthy Lives Matter Alzheimer’s Education Seminar, set for Saturday, August 17, taking place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Tarrant County College Trinity River Campus. The seminar, in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association North Central Texas Chapter, aims to shed light on the progression of Alzheimer’s and offer actionable coping strategies for difficult situations.
Attendees will be privy to the Dementia Live Experience, an initiative geared to foster empathy and improve family visit quality, while professionals can earn CEU credits. Statistics paint a somber picture, with an estimated 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older living with Alzheimer's, where seventy-three percent are age 75 or older, according to Tarrant County, Texas.
Digging deeper into the numbers, around 10.9% of individuals 65 and older are battling Alzheimer's, with women making up nearly two-thirds of this demographic. The data also highlights stark racial discrepancies – older Black Americans are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer's or other dementias compared to their older White counterparts, and older Hispanics are about one and one-half times as likely to be affected as older Whites.
With the aging U.S. population expected to surge, the number of Americans with Alzheimer's or other dementias will inevitably climb. Projections suggest that by 2050, up to 12.7 million Americans aged 65 and older may be living with Alzheimer's, barring significant medical advancements to prevent or cure the disease. This free event is open to the public, however, registration is mandatory, as noted in Tarrant County, Texas. It also states that attendees will be provided with a continental breakfast and lunch.
