June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month

June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, a time to show support for people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Currently, 188,300 Georgians are living with Alzheimer’s disease. By 2025, the number of Georgians living with Alzheimer’s is expected to increase by almost 27%. Dementia is not a normal part of aging, but the number of families affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia continues to rise. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is the seventh leading cause of death in Georgia. It is responsible for more deaths than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. An estimated 6.9 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.  

In an effort to address the growing dementia and Alzheimer’s population in Georgia, the Georgia Division of Aging Services created the Dementia Care Specialist Program. The mission of the Dementia Care Specialist (DCS) Program is to increase dementia education and awareness, build stronger community partnerships and support care partners to expand skills and resources to support individuals with dementia. One DCS is located at each Area Agency on Aging. The program lead at the Division of Aging Services is responsible for training, program integrity, and data collection.  

To achieve the mission of the program, the DCS program has three pillars:  

1. Creating a dementia-capable aging network: training, education, awareness, and collaboration. This includes raising awareness regarding the importance of early detection and screening.  

2. Creating dementia-capable communities: community outreach and partnerships and  

3. Supporting people living with dementia and their families. 

There are a number of ways to help families affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias, including: 

• Locating resources via the Georgia Aging & Disability Resource Connection by visiting georgiaadrc.com or by calling 1-866-552-4464.  

• Sharing the Division of Aging Services’ webpage on dementia and caregiver resources.  

Join us this June as we raise awareness, support our fellow Georgians, and take action to improve the lives of individuals and families living with dementia.