Alzheimer’s disease awareness among Latinos needs a boost

Alzheimer’s disease isn’t always easy to recognize because early symptoms can be mistaken for normal aging. This is particularly true in the Latino community where awareness and resources may be in short supply.

The Chicago Tribune says a new effort in that city aims to close the gap by having specialists conduct memory screenings and follow-up services in Spanish. “Alzheimer’s exacts a particularly heavy toll among Latinos, who tend to get the condition almost seven years earlier and live with it longer than white Americans, according to research from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California at San Francisco,” the story says.

The lack of awareness among Latinos is a nationwide problem, according to the “Hispanic Perception of Alzheimer’s Disease” survey released by the Alzheimer’s Assn. in October.

More Spanish-language resources can help. The “Latinos y Alzheimer” information page posted by the Alzheimer’s Assn. is a good place to find basic health information and updates about the disease in Spanish.

Currently there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s, though research continues. The Los Angeles Times reports here on the quest for a vaccine that could prevent the devastating disease.