Now being Single and Alzheimer’s related!

And I thought I’d heard everything…

Just when you thought you’d heard it all I found a link between being Single and Alzheimer’s Disease on an Arizona news site from Kyle Burke.

Thanks to Kyle for reminding us that November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. Now that’s definitely something we should be helping to support – goodness knows it seems the likelihood of loads of us being afflicted with the disease is seemingly high!

 I think most of us know that Doctors say that maintaining your brain health early on could be key in preventing memory loss later in life. Jan Dougherty, Director of Family and Communication Services at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute explains: “Because Alzheimer’s often starts decades before it presents with symptoms, we should be thinking in our 30’s and 40’s about lifestyle strategies, about diet, exercise, cognitive exercise, staying engaged throughout our lives.”

The bad news as per Kyle’s report,  is a recent study found that Single people are twice as likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease as married or cohabitating people.

“We’re creatures that do better when we are in communication and living with other peoples, so there’s something about socialization that’s really important to brain health,” Dougherty said.

And just in case you’ve forgotten… some of the common symptoms of memory loss are:
– forgetting names (does this count if you couldn’t remember them in the first place?)
– forgetting recent events (not due to alcohol consumption though!)
– forgetting appointments and dates (can’t bear to meet that online date you made?)
– misplacing items / finding items in strange places – (not male are you – never put things in the same place twice do you!)
– getting lost or confused in familiar places (now I’m geographically challenged so that’s a killer for me all the time)
– having difficulty finding words or putting sentences together (again watch that alcohol consumption – definitely makes it a challenge!)
– changes in behavior or personality (of course that has nothing to do with the type of day you are having or the road rage incident that’s just happened, or the 6 Red Bulls you just consumed…)

This is not an attempt at trivialising the severe impact Alzheimer’s disease has on the sufferer as well as families and friends. It is tragic to be a part of this situation. So, if you are experiencing some of those memory loss symptoms above – and forget about my little italicized comments alongside them, do go seek some help. Same goes for if you suspect someone else may be displaying some of these symptoms, see if you can find a way to guide them to seek out help.

 But, back to the Singles of the world. We all need love, friendship, companionship, and if you can find a life partner who can offer all that and more – it could be as simple as that to ward off Alzheimers. So, all I can say is get out there, display your Single status SHI Symbol everywhere you go so you can meet loads of new and interesting men and women more easily, and if you’re inclined to look for a partner, it’ll be working for you 24/7. It’s a sure fire way to help ward off Alzheimer’s. Can’t guarantee they won’t send you demented for other reasons though!

 And on another note, if you are interested in helping your local Alzheimer’s Association with much needed funds to help support research as well as support sufferers and their families – SHI Symbol has an excellent avenue that will help you, them and is something that’s super popular with everyone around the world. Just email me for the details – jan@shisymbol.com.au

 You won’t forget to do it now, will you?

BTW – Happy Thanksgiving Day to everyone.