The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

November 2, 2009

County hosts screening of Alzheimer's programs

W. TERRY SMITH

When Edgecombe County caregivers meet and discuss their situations, more bring up dealing with Alzheimer’s disease patients than anything else.

“Alzheimer’s disease is the second most feared disease,” said Myra McCall, Edgecombe County’s family caregiver support program coordinator. “The first is cancer.

“Everybody I know and you know, knows someone touched by Alzheimer’s disease.”

Edgecombe County’s Office on Aging and the Family Caregiver Support Program will host a special free screening of HBO’s “The Alzheimer’s Project” on Saturday, Nov. 14 in the auditorium of the County Administration Building followed by a question-and-answer period.

Seating is limited and registration is appreciated but not required.

November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and National Family Caregiver Month.

Two films of “The Alzheimer’s Project” will be screened. “Caregivers” will start at 12:30 p.m. followed by “Momentum in Science” at 2 p.m.

“Dr. Tom Gennosa of Family Medicine in downtown Tarboro will be available to answer questions,” McCall said.

“Caregiver” is a collection of five family portraits that illustrate caring for those in different stages of the disease.

“Momentum in Science” details the current explosion of knowledge within the scientific and medical communities --- from imaging the earlier signs of Alzheimer’s to understanding the roles that genetics and lifestyle may play, to the tremendous progress being made in the effort to develop drugs to treat or even prevent the disease.

“The purpose of this screening is to encourage further discussion about Alzheimer’s research and care in communities across America,” McCall said. “HBO has invited the Edgecombe Office on Aging and Family Caregiver Support Program, along with many other organizations to host these events to conduct conversations about Alzheimer’s and better understand the disease.”

Every 70 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease. It is the sixth-leading cause of death for people of all ages and the fifth-leading cause for adults over age 65 following heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease and chronic lower respiratory diseases.

Alzheimer’s may affect as many as 5 million Americans. As Baby Boomers reach retirement, that number may soar to more than 11 million by 2040 and have a huge economic impact on America’s already fragile health care system.

McCall’s family caregiver support groups meet the second Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2 p.m. at the County Admin Building in Tarboro and the third Monday at the Rocky Mount Senior Center at 6 p.m.

Until last year, there was a Memory Walk in Tarboro to raise money for Alzheimer’s research.

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