Raising Awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease in the Latino Community
Alzheimer’s in our community: A call to action for awareness and support
The image above shows an orange flower windmill at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s that took place at Westchester Community College on October 6, 2024. The orange flower represents walkers who want to see a world without Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Chances are that someone you love is living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. It turns out that Hispanic Americans are 1.5 times more likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, compared to non-Hispanic whites, but more research is required to understand the underlying reasons for this discrepancy. Understanding and addressing Alzheimer’s is crucial for individual and community health, and in the Hispanic community there is an urgent need to educate and inform about the importance of early detection, prevention, and available resources.
Sonia Martinez is a member of the Board of Directors of the Hudson Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, whose mission is to provide support and assistance to communities in the Hudson Valley region in New York State. She speaks passionately about her responsibility as a Latina to raise awareness about how the Latino community is disproportionately affected by these diseases, and the need to educate about brain health, early detection, and resources for patients and families.
Alzheimer’s has hit Sonia’s family hard: she has lost her father and an uncle to Alzheimer’s, and her mother is currently suffering from dementia. Sonia is fast to point out how cultural and language barriers make navigating healthcare difficult. Physicians rarely bring up the topic of cognitive health. Many know little about it. Few ever suggest screening or testing for dementia. All of this leads to the grim reality that too many people in the Latino community are being left undiagnosed or untreated. Part of the solution for advancing research and improving care is to raise awareness about the specific needs of people in the Latino community.
Support brain health in your organization
We spend about a third of our lives at work, so take a moment to consider what you can do now to make your workplace more brain-healthy. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, brain health is stimulated by mind challenges and learning new skills, so you now have one more reason to promote professional development opportunities for your employees. Also critical to brain health are healthy habits in exercise and diet as well as sleep hygiene. Think about how well your organization helps your employees eat well, move often, and get proper amounts of rest. Maybe now is a good time to incorporate some improvements.
Also take a moment to consider how you’re supporting employees who are caring for family members who are affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia. What workplace support systems do you have in place? How well are you helping those colleagues find resources and experience resilience and hope? There are many resources available, to facilitate planning and caregiving.
Become a corporate sponsor
At Latin Biz Today we write a lot about community engagement and its importance for Latino companies to thrive. Organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association provide multiple ways for companies to engage: through event sponsorship, co-branded content licensing, volunteering, and opportunities to join industry leadership councils. Your team can participate in a Walk to End Alzheimer’s or Ride to End ALZ, to honor and remember loved ones while providing philanthropic support that will go to advancing research and growing resources for diagnosis and treatment.
A call to action
The Latino community has a particular need for more and better resources and information related to Alzheimer’s disease, as a vital way to improve both individual and community well-being. Ultimately, we need to advocate for advances in research and care that will lead to a world without this heart-breaking disease. We can all help by raising awareness, breaking down cultural and language barriers, and improving access to resources. By advocating for increased research, early detection, and culturally competent care, we can empower Latino families to face this challenge head-on.
People who are struggling with Alzheimer’s and other dementias can reach out to the Alzheimer’s Association at 1-800-272-3900. Help and support is available!
Related content:
The Power of Continuous Learning for Brain Health and Latinos
