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Alzheimer's is a concern for women in California as the population is aging and has a large number of adults over the age of 65, more than any other state.
This disease especially affects women, representing almost two-thirds of people diagnosed and more than 60 percent of caregivers, with 11 million women in the United States suffering from Alzheimer's or caring for someone who suffers from it.
Women suffering from Alzheimer's, on the one hand, are at risk of social isolation due to misdiagnosis and stigmatization, while those who care for those with the condition risk adverse consequences on their personal, professional and mental health, due to the unpaid and informal responsibilities of caregivers.
And the thing is, more than a third of caregivers of people with dementia in the United States are daughters, while 19 percent of female caregivers of Alzheimer's patients have had to leave their jobs due to the demands of the work, as stated. experts said during a briefing held by Ethnic Media Services.
Dr. Wynnelena C. Canio, medical director of the senior intensive care unit at Kaiser Permanente San Rafael and a member of the board of directors of Sonoma County Elder Advocacy Services, explained that she had to care for her grandmother already thousands of other people living with dementia, a challenge for many, but for her a pleasure, as she helps older people.
In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the creation of an innovative task force responsible for presenting recommendations on how California can prevent and prepare for the increase in cases of Alzheimer's and other diseases.
Canio pointed out that it is difficult for families to see how their loved one begins to mix up stories, forget things and then not be able to carry out activities alone and at some point need help for their basic needs, since no one expects this to happen with their family members, ? Nobody seems totally ready?
In numbers, he added, California is the state with the most people with dementia, which creates an urgency to prepare to respond to everyone's medical needs. In addition, it also has the largest number of population aged 65 or older, which highlights the urgency of creating awareness and preparation to face Alzheimer's.
With the resources provided, it is intended that more people have easy access to basic information, generate understanding about the risk factors relevant to women, reduce the negative impacts of stigma, as well as work towards the goal of helping women and families to improve their brain health, explained the expert.
Likewise, Dr. Wynnelena C. Canio said that almost 2 in 3 of Americans with Alzheimer's are women and more than 60 percent of Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers are women.
Added to this is that when it comes to Alzheimer's disease, women and communities of color are at significantly higher risk, according to the 2024 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures Association.
?It is important to recognize that we all have a role in the fight against Alzheimer's, with your help we can reduce, educate and empower all Californians to recognize the signs of the disease for themselves to look for ways to reduce and improve brain health before or after a diagnosis?, Canio finished.
For Dr. Mirella Díaz-Santos, resident associate professor of neurology at UCLA and director of the Latino-Hispanic Healthy Aging Equity Laboratory, women should not feel guilty for having a higher risk of developing dementia since there are multiple factors.
He assured that many see Alzheimer's as an enigma, since when talking about dementia, genetics, biology, environment, race and origin must be considered.
?Research says there are some genes associated with women that increase longevity; This brain pathology is more in the brain of women. We should also think about all the chronic stressors that we endure daily and that disappear throughout our lives.?, added Dr. Díaz-Santos.
Anni Chung, president and CEO of Self Help for the Elderly, said she has been CEO of Self Help since 1983, so she has been working with and supporting people in a variety of ways for more than 40 years: knowing and listening to different cases.
In that sense, he recalled that it is essential to change the narrative and understanding of dementia and, in this research work, they expanded their horizons with more medical institutions in the Far East, such as Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, to have a more complete picture. broad in favor of the community.
Self Help organizes biweekly support groups for the family members caring for each patient, sometimes organizing intensive care outings, courses or classes, and more.
Mereani Ikanivere, founder of Prestige Care, said the issue of Alzheimer's is top of mind for caregivers. She is a professional nurse in California and for 20 years she began her senior care projects with the aim of promoting the best care for these valuable members of the community.
He explained that many people have dedicated themselves to caring, but they need professional training and certification; Today, the critical health care situation has enabled us to engage a strong advocacy group of Pacific Islanders who will support approximately 90 percent of people in need in California.
He added that 65 percent of his caregivers care for patients with Alzheimer's, showing that in the last 4 years there has been a continuous increase in the number of Californians aged 65 or older with this condition, which translates into 750 thousand people.
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