July 26, 2021 —It is interesting to note that fewer than half of those with a genetic predisposition for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease are actually diagnosed with the condition. To find out why 53 percent of those with one or two copies of the ApoE gene (which is considered to be a primary risk factor in late-onset Alzheimer’s) are able to avoid developing the disease, researchers studied 4,765 people over age 60 who did not have dementia at the beginning of their study. After following these individuals for four years, researchers found that those with the most positive beliefs about aging were 49.8 percent less likely to develop dementia than those with negative age beliefs. Positive age beliefs reduce stress, thereby reducing dementia risk.
There are several medications that can help with the symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Although there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s, those who respond to these treatments can experience improvements in their quality of life for several years. Importantly, people of all ages are urged to rebuff common negative stereotypes of the elderly.
With Faith Woodward, Director of Admissions and Marketing at Barclay Friends—to learn more, please call 610-696-5211 or visit our website, http://bf.kendal.org/.