LUDLOW, Vt. – An astounding 13,000 Vermonters and 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. No cure exists, but several new drugs have been shown to reduce the progression of the disease, says Howard Goodrow, Alzheimer’s Association Vermont Chapter Executive Director. Despite Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, unfortunately these medications are neither covered by Medicare nor Medicaid.
Speaking on May 9 to the weekly lunch gathering of Ludlow Rotarians, Goodrow said that primary care physicians are reluctant to diagnose Alzheimer’s. “One in three senior citizens will die with some form of dementia,” he says.
As bad as Alzheimer’s is for those with the disease, the toll it takes on caregivers and other loved ones is significant. Goodrow says an estimated 11 million Americans are providing unpaid care for someone with the disease.
To build awareness and support for care and research, the association’s “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” events are held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide. Four walks have been scheduled in Vermont next September, according to Jazmin Averbuck, Chapter Development Manager, including Rutland on Sept. 23 and the Upper Valley on Sept. 30.
The local chapter has also created the “Reason to Hope” gala on May 19, and a “Longest Day” event to be held on sections of Vermont’s Long Trail during the Summer Solstice on June 21. These events also celebrate a partnership with 14th Star Brewing Co. of St. Albans, Vt., featuring “Forget Me Not,” a limited edition beer with a portion of proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Association.
For more information about Alzheimer’s, go to www.alz.org/vermont. Anyone interested in learning more about Rotary or its Tuesday luncheons at DJ’s Restaurant, contact Membership Chairman Kevin Barnes at 802-228-8877.
Written by Glenn Heitsmith