06/18/2026
June is Alzheimer's and Brain awareness month, a timely opportunity to focus on brain health, early recognition, and support for families and care givers. Alzheimer's disease is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. It is the most common cause of dementia itself is a broader term for changes in memory, thinking, and daily functioning serious enough to effect everyday life. The Alzheimer's Association says more than 55 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer's or another dementia, and its 2026 U.S. report estimates 7.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's dementia.
One reason brain health awareness matters is that symptoms are sometimes dismissed as "just getting older". The Alzheimer's associations make an important distinction between typical age-related changes and warning signs that begin to disrupt daily life. These may include memory loss that affects every day functioning, trouble planning or solving problems, difficulty completing familiar tasks, confusion with time or place, language changes, poor judgement, withdrawal from work or social activities, and noticeable shifts in mood or personality.
Simple ways to support Brain Health are:
*Stay physically active
*Keep your mind active
*Manage Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Diabetes
*Prioritize sleep
*Stay Socially connected
*Address vision or hearing changes early
*Keep up with routine medical visits
*Talk to a provider if memory or thinking changes become noticeable.
There are also free resources available:
*Alheimer's Assiociation Brain Health Habit builder
*Lumosity
*Web Sudoku
*Chess.com
*Merriam-webster games
*AARP games
*New York Times games
*Duolingo
