Join the community to walk to end Alzheimer’s on Oct. 26

BY STACEY WALLACE FOR THE OBSERVER

LEE COUNTY —According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease and the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all cases.” Other statistics about the disease include: “1. Over seven million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, a number projected to reach nearly 13 million by 2050; 2. About one in nine people over 65 have Alzheimer’s; 3. Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women; 4. Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States for all ages; 5. Older Black Americans are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias as older white Americans; 6. Older Hispanics are about one and one-half times as likely to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias as older white Am