ALZHEIMER'S - SAFE RETURN PROGRAM

Alzheimer's is a tragic disease that robs older loved ones of their memories, their independence, their identities, and, ultimately, their lives. African-Americans, like other Americans, are at considerable risk for the disease. Ongoing research into the causes and treatment of Alzheimer's has begun to yield treatments that can delay the progression of the disease and hope for a cure or even a vaccine.

But today, medical caregivers and family members must focus on what they can do to preserve an affected person's abilities-and their safety. One of the greatest risks for someone with the disease is the tendency to wander, which can be life threatening. Any Alzheimer's patient can become disoriented and lost in his or her neighborhood or even in his or her own home. He may then meander off on foot or even behind the wheel. By the time he is missed, he may have walked into dangerous areas or driven hundreds of miles. In fact, half of those who wander away and are not found within 24 hours die.

Caring for and protecting the Alzheimer's patient is an exhausting responsibility, but the Alzheimer's Association has made it a bit easier with its Safe Return program. This nationwide initiative helps to quickly identify and return lost patients with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia by fitting the Alzheimer's sufferer with a bracelet or other identification device that lists his name, address, and a contact telephone number.

You can register quickly by calling the association at 1-800-272-3900 or by visiting at ww.alz.org.

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