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Caregivers and health experts say the stigma of Alzheimer's in many communities prevents effective care, so cultural taboos around the disease and other forms of dementia among older adults and people with disabilities need to be addressed in communities ranging from Latino, African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) to LGBTQ+, as early detection is the key to treatment.
In response, California has launched a new campaign to confront Alzheimer's, “TAKE ON ALZ,” from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), an education and awareness campaign aimed at all Californians to promote healthy brains, knowledge about the difference between aging and dementia, as well as inform about the importance of prevention and early detection.
Dr. Lucía Abascal of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), explained a Briefing session conducted by Ethnic Media Services that, according to a 2024 report, Alzheimer's is the second cause of death in California.
She explained that women from communities of color are more likely to develop Alzheimer's, so it should not be forgotten that age is not the only factor.
"We know that it is essential to detect Alzheimer's early in order to have treatment options. The idea is that the sooner a diagnosis is made, the easier it is for the person with Alzheimer's and for their caregivers as well.”, commented Dr. Abascal.
The campaign seeks to empower more Californians with community support to recognize the science of the disease, either personally or with family and friends, in order to reduce the risk for more people.
Dr. Dolores Gallagher Thompson, professor emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, said it's important to value people with Alzheimer's because they can't do the same things they used to.
A common example is cooking the family dinner, however following recipes is not always possible for an Alzheimer's patient, so assigning easy tasks and providing support is important, but showing them their great value will be essential.
To reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, he said, it is important to stay active, doing physical activity regularly; one should also maintain a balanced diet, while also controlling other diseases that can make adults more vulnerable.
In her opportunity, Dr. María Aranda, professor of Social Work and Gerontology at USC, and executive director of the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at USC, explained that the common factor in this disease is the fact of aging, so anyone can acquire it, which is why the fact of treating and taking care of oneself, preventing it with timely medical attention, is emphasized.
The real problem, he said, is that in vulnerable communities like the Latino community, the terms are not known and there is not enough publicity, which makes everything turn gray, leaving many points of misinformation.
He added that there are also doctors who have information biases, as they are loaded with prejudices and leave patients with more information gaps.
Lunae Chrysanta, director of training and transformation at San Francisco-based Openhouse, explained that researchers estimate there are around 2.7 million LGBTQ+ people over the age of 50, a community that is growing rapidly.
"We expect to live and die with dignity, what happens is that, as people grow up, they depend on the care of others and are afraid, so they feel they have to hide who they are and go back into the closet.”, he commented Lunae Chrysanta.
A 2023 study showed that prejudice in older adults results in discrimination based on issues they have faced throughout their lives; estimates show that 40 percent of LGBTQ+ people and 46 percent of transgender older adults do not disclose their sexual orientation and gender because they fear it will affect the quality of their medical care.
Petra Niles of Alzheimer's in Los Angeles and Senior Manager of Education & Outreach, highlighted that the African-American community, of which she is a part, is one of the most affected, since upon receiving the diagnosis they often have financial problems or lack of health services, which makes it difficult to receive care and undergo adequate treatment.
For her, it is important to build good relationships that generate trust with doctors and the Afro-descendant community, all with the aim of contributing to prevention.
"This is a disease that is not going to go away and of course it is important to prevent it.”, he concluded Petra Niles.
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