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June Is National Alzheimer's Awareness Month And You Can Get Help In Washtenaw County

Alzheimer's Association

June is National Alzheimer's Awareness Month.  It's a disease that affects more than 5.3 million individuals in the United States, and Washtenaw County is not the exception.

 

Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in Michigan.  Nearly 12% of the senior citizen population in Washtenaw County suffers from it or dementia.

Samantha West, who is the communications director for the Alzheimer's Association Michigan Great Lakes Chapter, says that number is probably even higher.

"There are a lot of people living with Alzheimer's and dementia that have not been reported to Medicaid and Medicare which is where the CDC pulls these numbers from."

There are several support groups in Washtenaw County .  For information on that, click here.

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— Jorge Avellan is the Ann Arbor beat reporter and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News.  Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him javellan@emich.edu

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