My uncle, Francois, was kind, sweet and always had something to say. Always. He was a quirky man with an adventurous spirit which is what made it difficult for us to identify what was happening to Francois.
Francois lived in North Miami, Florida with my aunt. When my aunt asked him to run to the store to pick up a few items, she thought nothing of it. After all, he had done it 100 times in the past. Hours later my uncle was still not back. We began to panic. We filed a missing person report and was told that all we could do at that time was wait. We waited and waited for that phone to ring. Hours after we filed the report, the phone rang. It was not Francois on the other line, it was the state police department.
Instead of going to the store, Francois got on I-95 North and drove 200 miles to the Georgia state line. He drove until he literally ran out of gas. The state police picked him up and saw he was on the missing person’s report. The state police kept him at the station until we got there to pick him up. They enjoyed my uncle, they even gave him a jacket to coronet his adventure! When we asked my uncle why he drove so far he had no answer. He did not remember. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s later that month.
June is Alzheimer’s awareness month. At Simplefill, we believe it is important to help spread the awareness.
I watched my uncle struggle with this disease and what seemed harder was watching my aunt manage his illness. She went from having a best friend and partner in life, to having a full time caregiving job that left her financially and emotionally exhausted. My aunt is not alone. There is an estimated 5.4 million Americans with Alzheimer’s and over 15 million caretakers that tend to Alzheimer patients.
Notable Facts
1. Every 66 seconds someone in the United States develops the disease
2. Family caregivers spend more than $5,000.00 a year caring for someone with Alzheimer’s
3. In 2016, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation $236 Billion
4. Alzheimer’s kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined
Sometimes the signs of Alzheimers are not noticed until the disease has advanced. Keep in mind these 10 warning signs and contact your doctor if these behavior patterns become more common.
10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s
1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life
2. Challenges in planning or solving simple problems
3. Difficulty in completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
4. Confusion with time
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgment
9. Changes in mood and personality
10. Withdrawal from work and social activities
The team at Simplefill hopes to spread the awareness of this debilitating disease and let people know we can help alleviate some of the financial burden that falls onto families of Alzheimer’s patients. There are several medications that have been developed to slow down the progression of the disease. Unfortunately, these medications come with a high price tag. Often the medication(s) are unaffordable for patients. If you know of someone who needs assistance paying for their Alzheimer medication which includes but is not limited to Namzaric, Exelon Patch, or Namenda please call Simplefill today (1-877-386-0206). We look forward to helping you.
