November is set aside to officially recognize a trio of related causes. It is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, National Family Caregiver Month, and Long-Term Care Awareness Month.
As many as 5 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. According to the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services, more than 1 million adults in North Carolina are caring for an older person. And more than 40 percent of NC family caregivers take care of someone with a memory disorder, such as Alzheimer’s disease, which is now the fifth leading cause of death in the United States.
This month, state leaders and communities are working to raise awareness of the tremendous burden the disease takes on the person suffering from the disease, as well as their friends and family members.
In addition, November is a time to recognize that about 70 percent of people over age 65 will require some long-term care services at some point in their lives. Because Medicare and private health insurance don’t pay for much of long-term care, it’s important to plan ahead for possible future care needs.