Alzheimer's Association education program on April 23

The Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter and the Cedar Heights Community Center in Seat Pleasant are partnering on an Alzheimer’s awareness education program, to be held at the community center on Wednesday, April 23 at 11 a.m.

“We are interested in educating our constituents about Alzheimer’s and dementia because it is affecting all of us, either directly or indirectly,” said volunteer Michelle Stroman, who helped to schedule the presentation. “Some of us have family members and friends who have displayed some symptoms of what we think is Alzheimer's and dementia. We would like to know what we should look for, what we can do to help, and when we should back off.”

Nearly 7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s, including 127,000 in Maryland. Data released at the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) showed that Prince George’s County ranks fourth among the nation’s 3,142 counties for prevalence of Alzheimer’s in adults age 65+.

The program will provide an overview of Alzheimer’s and dementia and discuss warning signs of the disease, the difference between normal aging and when symptoms of memory loss may reveal a larger problem, and the importance of an early diagnosis. Participants also will hear about both community resources and those provided by the Alzheimer’s Association to support people living with the disease, their families and caregivers.

“It’s critical to educate our community about the importance of having baseline cognitive testing and to learn about all of the free resources the Alzheimer’s Association has,” said Laura Byer, MBA, MSOD, Program Manager with the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter.

Presenting the program is Alzheimer’s Association volunteer Michael Smith, who cared for his wife when she was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s. Since her passing Smith has devoted innumerable hours fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association and acting as both a community educator and support group facilitator with families in the Veterans Administration affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia.

"I am passionate about volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Association to honor my late wife Bernita and to ensure that families and caregivers are supported and guided during the challenging journey of caregiving,” said Smith.

The program is free and open to the community. Registration is not required. For more information, call 800.272.3900 or visit alz.org/nca.