World Alzheimer's Day.

Every year on the 21st of September, organisations from around the world celebrate World Alzheimer's Day, although it isn´t your typical happy celebration but an attempt to raise awareness across the globe of this common form of dementia. 

Alzheimer´s is a mental impairment disorder, it affects many abilities that are fundamental in our day to day lives, we mostly associated it to memory loss. It is a progressive disease and those who are diagnosed live, on average, for around 8 years after the first symptoms ocurr.

I myself have met many people suffering from different stages of Alzheimer's, from early stages where some forget where they live or get a little confused as to how they got to the place they are at to those who have lost all abilities to have a normal life and need 24 assistance by personal carers to help feed them and keep them clean. It is a frustrating thing to watch, every day I see it in a lady we know, how she forgets that she is coming out for a coffee with me, that she doesn't remember her birthday party the other day, she often tells me she wonders if they do brain transplants these days...however, it is not a humorous condition, it is severe and challenging.

I remember the first person I met with Alzheimer's, his name was Barry, I met him when the disease was just starting to take charge of his mind, I think I was around 15, (five years ago) or at least that is when I remember talking to him. he was a lovely man and had a lovely manner, I remember taking him to a doctors appointment with my mother, who at the time was his carer and friend, I realised I had to repeat myself quite often and I wasn't sure why until my mother explained it to me, unfortunately a couple of years later Alzheimer's took over and it was his time to go. 

Alzheimer's is often known as the family disease as it doesn't just affect the sufferer but the family as well, it can be frustrating if you aren't quite used to dealing with people with this disorder, and for many it is hard to accept but there are many support groups you can turn to,  you are not alone, it happens to someone every 68 seconds and there is no known cure as of yet. 

So today, 21st of September, people all over the world will raise awareness to this horrible disease and hopefully one day find a cure.

Go purple for the people with Alzheimer's!

Hannah.