Health & Wellness: June 2026
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month
What is Alzheimer's? It is a degenerative brain disease and is the most common cause of dementia. It is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior that eventually grows severe enough to interfere with daily activities. It is NOT a normal part of aging.
Worldwide 55 million people are living with Alzheimer's and other dementias. Dementia is not a specific disease. It’s an overall term that describes a group of symptoms. Below are some things that are seen with Alzheimer’s. Always speak with a health care provider with questions or concerns.
Alzheimer’s/Dementia versus Typical Age-Related Changes
- Poor judgement and decision making versus making a bad decision once in awhile
- Inability to manage a budget versus missing a monthly payment
- Losing track of the date or season versus forgetting what day it is and remembering later
- Difficulty having a conversation versus sometimes forgetting which word to use
- Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them versus losing things from time to time
Healthy Habits For Your Brain
- Protect Your Head: wear a helmet if biking, wear seat belts, do what you can to prevent falls
- Be Smoke Free: quitting smoking can lower your risk of cognitive decline
- Get Moving: Building more activity into your life can promote brain health
- Manage Diabetes: Type 2 Diabetes can be controlled / prevented wit healthier lifestyle
- Sleep Well: Speak to a health care provider if you have sleep issues
- Eat Right: More vegetables, lean meats / proteins, less processed foods
- Maintain a healthy weight: less stress / wear and tear on your body.
The Alzheimer’s Disease web site can provide great information and insight.