New Alzheimer’s awareness campaign launched

June marks Alzheimer’s Brain Awareness Month, and the Desert Southwest Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association has launched a new awareness campaign, backed by a $750,000 grant from the Arizona Department of Health Services.

This initiative focuses on reaching rural and underserved communities in Arizona, aiming to educate and support those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Terri Spitz, Executive Director of the Desert Southwest Chapter Alzheimer’s Association, joined “Arizona Horizon” to share insights about the campaign’s goals, strategies and anticipated impact on raising awareness and providing resources to these communities.

“This awareness campaign is so important because we are now in the area of treatment,” said Spitz regarding a new Alzheimer’s drug, Donanemab, Eli Lilly and Company released last week.

Spitz added, “Getting awareness to a lot of these communities that there’s hope out there, that this isn’t like a death sentence. There’s hope that we have treatments out there, and it’s really all about educating the community.”

When educating and providing awareness on the early signs of Alzheimer’s, Spitz said, “Our chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association has training and education. Why this awareness campaign is so important, the early stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia is where these treatments are effective. Every day, 2,000 people move from that stage to the next, and they kind of move out of that criteria.”

Spitz added, “Get the education, and make sure that there’s hope out there. If you are feeling like things aren’t right, go to the doctor, and get a cognitive assessment. See if you can get an early, accurate diagnoses because you could qualify for something that could give you more time.”