GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) - Memory loss, confusion and even the difficult task of concentrating. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has launched a statewide dementia awareness campaign focusing on the illness and spreading the word.
Joanna Espinoza Robbins, Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias Program Manager for the CDPHE, states, “Only about half of dementias get diagnosed, and we knew that a key in addressing this issue was to have more people having conversations about it. So it was prioritized as an activity in the state plan.”
Receiving care for dementia can make a huge difference - but you can't access care you don't know you need. Jim Herlihy, the Alzheimer's Association senior director of marketing and communications, states, “There are 91,000 Coloradans and many of them, but roughly half of them never are diagnosed with the disease. So they can't take advantage of these medications. They can't take advantage of the support systems that are in place of their family and friends who are their caregivers.”
According to the Alzheimer's Association, the illness is ranked number seven among the top ten deadliest diseases in the nation - but there is a factor that is even scarier.
“I mean, the cost of caregiving is huge. One of every five Medicare dollars is going towards Alzheimer's care, and if we don't find a cure by 2050, we expect that number to rise to one out of every $3. So we must make people aware of the resources that are available at no cost to them and help them manage the process,” Herlihy states.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is starting to spread awareness and show the community a deeper look into the sickness.
“Currently we have media ads, the first wave, that started at the beginning of August and we have planned media ads through the next coming year as well,” Espinoza Robbins explains.
According to the CDPHE, this campaign will be part of a five-year state plan and looks to reduce the number of people impacted by this disease.