Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) disparities in San Diego focus of symposium
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By Skyler Gallarzan
SAN DIEGO, CA- On June 20th, members of The California Department of Public Health (CDPH), County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA) alongside members of the San Diego local community gathered at the Fourth District Seniors Resource Center to shed light, share stories and educate attendees on the invasive neurodegenerative condition, Alzheimer’s Disease.
The event is a part of the Take on Alzheimer’s campaign, the first statewide campaign focused on raising awareness on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. “The Take On Alzheimer’s Campaign was developed by the California Department of Health to shift public perception and reduce stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s disease”, says campaign speaker Dr. Wilma J. Wooten, Public Health Officer of the County of San Diego HHSA. Dr. Wooten was celebrating her final day of service for Public Health, serving the San Diego community for 23 years.
In 2022, over 700,000 adults aged 60 plus lived in San Diego County, says Kristen Smith of the County of San Diego HHSA. By 2024, The California Department of Public Health declared that Alzheimer’s is the 2nd leading cause of death in the state. Dr. Wooten emphasizes that “It’s important to understand that the priority risk factor for Alzheimer’s is age. California is home to more adults aged 65 years, older than any other state in the nation,” going on to address why San Diego residents specifically should draw their attention to the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease. “As the 2nd largest county in California and home to a growing population of older adults, the San Diego county region faces a pressing need to address brain health”.
Introduced alongside Dr. Wooten was second campaign speaker Jennifer Bransford-Koons, Director, Aging and Adult Services Public Administrator, Public Guardian, and Service of County of San Diego HHSA Aging & Independence. “This is a campaign to inspire action in others. It’s a call to action, for all of us to come together, because it takes all of us. This is an all hands on deck issue and it can affect anybody at any time”, on drawing attention to collective efforts such as Take On Alzheimer’s Organization.
The event included networking opportunities, words from supporters and clinical and public health professionals, and concluded with opportunities for the audience to address their questions towards the community leaders and medical professionals on the panel.
The panel addressed a number of varying topics, including the stories of how these community leaders addressed Alzheimers within their loved ones, how the condition disproportionately affects communities of color, women and LGBTQ+ groups, the stigma the of disease, providing support and community for caretakers… but most importantly, thoroughly discussed the measures needed to be taken towards caring for both individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and caretakers of those with Alzheimer’s disease.
How are marginalized communities affected by Alzheimer’s?
There is a pressing need to address the racial and ethnic disparities for those living with Alzheimer’s and related dementia. According to Dr. Wooten, “By 2040, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s is expected to more than triple for Latino and African American Black Californians, and more than double for Asian American and Pacific Islanders Californians. Additionally, Alzheimer’s disproportionately affects women and the LQBTQ+ communities… Women make up nearly 2/3rd of those diagnosed”. With San Diego’s rich and diverse community, residents must stay wary of the contributing factors that can affect brain health.
It has been found that negative experiences surrounding race, socioeconomic status, persistent low wages factor into its effects on the brain. Smith herself has observed how experiences in all types of racism (structural, personal, institutional) are proven to be associated with lower memory scores and worse cognition in mid-life and old age in African American Black adults.
What are the signs and symptoms in identifying early onset Alzheimer’s in ourselves and our loved ones?
Alzheimer’s is typically found in individuals aged 70 years and older, Dr. Douglas Galasko, MD, Neurologist, UC San Diego affirms that the condition begins with memory problems beyond the typical loss of train of thought. Forgetting details of a conversation, appointments, times, not managing their medications, are some of the earliest typical symptoms. “When you notice somebody is having a repeated pattern of some of these memory lapses, take it seriously.” These fits of forgetfulness can be best identified when familiar routines or simple tasks become problematic, for example, where a long time office worker forgets what a copy machine is for. In many unfortunate instances, most people do not take action until they are in crisis or find themselves in situations that are out of control. Galasko notes that contributing factors also include vascular change. Managing and treating conditions impacting blood pressure and diabetes could help reduce some of the disparities that come with an Alzhiemer’s diagnosis.
What preventative measures can be taken to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease?
“What’s good for the body is good for the mind.” emphasizes Smith, her baseline measures to best prevent the overall progress of the condition simply lies in remaining attentive to overall physical and mental health. This includes staying physically active, eating healthy, managing chronic conditions and staying socially engaged as you age. This even includes staying attentive towards how hearing loss with age can affect one’s mental health. “We need to interact with people to keep our brain working well, addressing any hearing loss is really important… when we lose our hearing, we tend to disengage and not talk as much to others, and we get more isolated” which in turn, brings a decline to one’s brain health.
Ron Lewis, PhD, Board Member, Alzheimer’s Association San Diego Imperial Chapter, also encourages building relationships and cultivating conversations with your primary care doctor, if the condition is a possible concern with age. With the diagnosis of his mother, he himself emphasized the need to monitor the progress of his own brain health, in order to monitor the possibility of Alzheimer’s and dementia conditions in his future.
But the most effective method to reduce the progress of Alzheimer’s, is to encourage conversation and education around the disease, bring awareness to the signs and build a community of support towards taking on Alzheimer’s. Faiza Warsame, Community Engagement Specialist, and of United Women of East Africa San Diego, knows best in how these seemingly scary conversations are absolutely necessary, because not everyone is willing to understand the complexities of the disease, let alone know about the condition at all. While Alzheimer’s is an unpredictable and progressive disease, education, conversation and community can encourage San Diegans to find support and treatment accordingly.
With Alzheimer’s being a condition surrounded by fear, stigma, and mystery by society, all panelists had come to a united consensus that when it comes to taking on the condition, knowledge is power. As Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness month comes to a close, we must remain committed to ending the progress of Alzheimer’s disease and continue to educate the San Diego Community.
To access more information and resources surrounding Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementia conditions, visit TakeOnAlz.com, Alz.org/sandiego , or Call Alzheimer’s Association’s 24/7 Helpline at 1(800) 272- 3900.