Ecumen Honors National Alzheimer’s Day

Pictured:  Hazel Eng, 89, who lives at the Ecumen nursing home in North Branch, Minn., sharing a laugh with her daughter, Jane Lynch.

It’s National Alzheimer’s Day today. In the United States, an estimated 5.4 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and unless something changes, as many as 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s in 2050. Alzheimer’s is one of the most serious challenges faciing our aging population — and caregivers. In 2010, 14.9 million family members and friends provided 17 billion hours of unpaid care to those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias — care valued at $202.6 billion!

Ecumen is proud to join the fight against Alzheimer’s in many powerful ways. Read about "Awakenings", our nationally recognized initiative to improve the lives of our care center residents who live with memory loss. Through Awakenings, we are reducing or eliminating the use of anti-psychotic drugs widely prescribed to "calm" the sometimes challenging behaviors of residents with dementia. We are literally Awakening our residents from the effects of their medications. More information about Awakenings can be found on our website here.  Also, this month, our senior living communities across the state are joining the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Hundreds of Ecumen employees and friends are raising thousands of dollars to support research and education through the Alzheimer’s Association.

We’re in this together.  We’re proud to be leaders in Changing Aging.