World Alzheimer’s Month was launched in September 2012. Every year World Alzheimer’s day falls on Sept. 21. According to the World Alzheimer’s month website the month “provides an opportunity for Alzheimer associations around the world to gain recognition and credibility for the work they do, placing themselves in a stronger position to influence opinion leaders and governments.”

Every year more and more countries all around the world are participating to help raise awareness about dementia. The theme for this year’s World Alzheimer’s campaign is Remember Me. Every three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. They expect that in 2050, 131.5 million people will be living with dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, which is a name for a progressive degenerative brain syndrome which affects memory, thinking, behavior and emotion.

Senior Nursing student Ronald Espinosa has experience dealing with patients that have Alzheimer’s. “Dealing with families of patients I had in the past, I always noticed the heartbreak it caused a family. No one ever wants to walk into a room to visit their mother or father and they have no clue who you are,” said Espinosa. Not only does Alzheimer’s affect the person who has it, but it also affects their families who are left having to take care of their loved one.

As of now, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, nor can a cure be expected in the near future. There are still researchers out there developing drugs that will slow down the progression of the disease in some case. There is no specific preventative measures for Alzheimer’s; however, there is research that suggests a healthy lifestyle will help reduce an individual’s risk. The National Alzheimer’s Association offers help and support to people with dementia and their carers. They provide friendship, support and a lifeline for many people. To find out more how you can get involved visit www.worldalzmonth.org.