Alzheimer's disease and other dementias

June is Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month - an opportunity to hold a global conversation about the brain, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Everyone is at risk to develop Alzheimer's, the only leading cause of death that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. During the month of June, the Alzheimer's Association® asks people around the world to wear purple and join in the fight to end Alzheimer's disease.

Often thought of as minor memory loss, Alzheimer's is a fatal disease that kills nerve cells and tissue in the brain, affecting an individual's ability to remember, think and plan. As the disease advances, the brain shrinks dramatically due to cell death. Individuals lose their ability to communicate, recognize family and friends and care for themselves. There are 10 warning signs and symptoms. Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in different degrees. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.

For more information visit http://alz.org/maine/

The Alzheimer's Association, Maine Chapter offers a 24/7 Helpline that provides reliable information and support to all those who need assistance. Call toll-free anytime day or night at 800-272-3900. 

For more information about Alzheimer's & Public Health:

• Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
• Heart health and brain health
• Race, ethnicity, and Alzheimer's disease
• Safety Issues For Those With Dementia
• The Healthy Brain Initiative: The Public Health Road Map for State and National Partnerships, 2013-2018

Go local, get seasonal with new public health data

The Maine Tracking Network recently released a suite of local data related to private well water quality and testing. 

Now, anyone can query summary measures for arsenic, uranium, fluoride, and other chemicals commonly found in excess of public health standards in Maine private wells.

  

These data are the first on the Maine Tracking Network to be presented for Healthy Maine Partnership service areas and towns, making it easy to identify areas at high-risk for private well water concerns and focus local interventions.

  

And, in time for summer, the Maine Tracking Network has data about heat illness and Lyme disease-data that help describe who may be at-risk for these seasonal conditions.

  

Go to https://data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking/  to create your own customized maps, tables, and charts for these topics and many more, such as asthma, childhood lead poisoning, cancer, and birth outcomes.