World Alzheimer’s Day

21 September is observed as World Alzheimer’s Day every year. The day is a part of World Alzheimer’s Month which is observed for spreading awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. The observation is recognized by Alzheimer Disease International, an organization working for raising awareness about the disease. It was founded in 1984 and they announced 21 September 1994 (their 10th anniversary) as the first Alzheimer’s Day. Since then the day is being observed every year.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. It causes loss of memory, loss of language, problem-solving, or other logical thinking abilities. It is a progressive condition that keeps worsening over time. The disturbances of brain function may also lead to erratic behavior as well as loss of body functions.

Significance of Observing World Alzheimer’s Day

The day, as stated above, is observed for spreading awareness about Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The following reasons make spreading awareness about Alzheimer’s Day very important.

• Dementia (and Alzheimer’s) is much more common than we think. According to a WHO report, currently, 55 million people around the globe are living with dementia and 10 million new cases are registered every year. (Out of all dementia cases around 65% are caused due to Alzheimer’s)
• Alzheimer’s (or dementia) starts with minor symptoms like forgetting the names of old friends or distant relatives. As a result, it is often ignored as a usual result of biological ageing.
• As majority of cases are found in older population, younger people are believed to be immune to the syndrome. This false sense of immunity may prove dangerous when young people get affected by Alzheimer’s.
• The syndrome is progressive and to date has no cure. Prevention is the only way to be safe.
• The current statistics put dementia at 7th position among all the diseases leading to death.
• Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among the older population.

Themes of the World Alzheimer’s Day

2021 Theme – Know Dementia, Know Alzheimer’s
Target – The 2021 theme focuses on promoting people to learn about Dementia and Alzheimer’s.

2020 Theme – Let’s Talk About Dementia
Target – The 2020 theme, just like the 2019 theme, focused on promoting discussions about Dementia.

2019 Theme – Let’s Talk About Dementia
Target – The 2019 theme promoted discussions about dementia.

2018 Theme – Every 3 Seconds
Target – The 2018 theme tried to attract attention towards the statistics that told every 3 seconds a new person is getting affected with Dementia.

2017 Theme – Remember Me
Target – The theme of 2017 encouraged individuals to learn and recognize signs and symptoms of Dementia.