Page 23 - Healthy Brain Initiative, State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018-2023 Road Map
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Public health has strengths and capacities to advance
awareness about the interplay between brain health
and physical health. This could be done by linking
dementia and cognitive decline risk messaging to
health promotion activities in such areas as:
» Tobacco prevention and control;
» Cardiovascular health management;
» Diabetes prevention and management;
» Obesity prevention and control; and
» Injury prevention.
Educating the public is also a needed component COMPELLING DATA
of preventing abuse, neglect, and exploitation
(including financial exploitation) of people living with » Nearly 90% of Americans say that if they
dementia. As cognitive impairment worsens, people were exhibiting confusion and memory
can become increasingly vulnerable to falling victim loss, they would want to know if the
to elder mistreatment. A person living with dementia cause of the symptoms was Alzheimer’s
disease. Yet, over half of the people
may not recognize actions that could be harmful and aged 45 and older with subjective
have difficulty protecting themselves; in addition, cognitive decline have not talked
communication problems can hinder reporting or with a healthcare provider about their
seeking help. Cognitive impairment may also increase questions, concerns, and fears. 1
the risk of self-neglect for people living alone with
dementia, especially as ability to perform activities » Evidence indicates that less than half
of daily living gradually declines. Beyond public of people with dementia have been
education, the public health community can actively diagnosed by a physician. Among older
adults who have been diagnosed with
strive to prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation
through partnerships with adult protective services, dementia, only 35% are aware that they
have the disease.
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law enforcement, aging network service providers,
and other community-based organizations as » Nearly half of all caregivers (48%)
recommended in the Elder Justice Roadmap. 21 • who care for an older adult do so for The Action Agenda
someone with Alzheimer’s and other
dementias. 1
III.
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