Twenty years ago, few Americans had heard of Alzheimer’s disease. Yet today this progressive and irreversible brain disease is recognized as one of the most devastating maladies of our time.

An estimated 4.5 million American have Alzheimer’s disease. It is the fourth leading cause of death among American adults.

As the baby boom population reaches 60 years of age, an estimated 14 million American adults will have the disease.

What is Alzheimer’s? What causes this devastating brain disorder? What is dementia?

These are some of the questions that will be answered at the Alzheimer’s Support Group meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, at Natchez Regional Medical Center, sponsored by the Behavioral Health Unit, in the first-floor Cypress Room.

TRIAD will present the program on Alzheimer’s disease — facts about the disease, the stages of this destructive disease, how to communicate with an Alzheimer’s patient and modifying the environment for a loved one with Alzheimer’s.

TRIAD is a three-agency organization formed nine years ago by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Natchez Police Department and Retired and Senior Volunteer Program to educate senior citizens on crime prevention, identify theft, frauds and scams, safety in the home, how to protect yourself away from the home and Alzheimer’s awareness.

The mini-seminars are currently being presented to senior organizations in the Adams County area as well as senor groups in Meadville and Brookhaven.

If your senior church group or organization would like to hear one of our seminars, contact me at the RSVP office, 601-442-5082.

If you are interested in attending the Alzheimer Support Group meeting on Thursday, don’t miss this informative presentation on Alzheimer’s disease.

Janet McNeely is director of the Retired and Senior Volunteers Program.