Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that causes memory loss and intellectual impairment, affecting over 4.5 million American adults across all demographics. It is the most common cause of dementia among older adults, defined as a loss of memory and thinking abilities that interferes with daily life. While Alzheimer's primarily impacts those aged 65 and older, in rare cases it can develop earlier due to diseases such as Pick's, Binswanger's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and alcohol abuse.

1. Caring Connections
Community Outreach for the Caregiver
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, irreversible neurological disorder
affecting brain cells, resulting in memory loss and intellectual
impairment seen in as many as 4.5 million American adults. This
disease affects people of all racial, economic, and educational
backgrounds.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in adults.
The term dementia is defined as the loss of memory and intellect that
interferes with routine personal, social, and occupational functioning.
Dementia itself is not a disease; rather, it is a group of symptoms that
may accompany certain diseases or conditions. Other symptoms may
include changes in personality, mood, or behavior.
Although Alzheimer disease primarily affects people age 65 or older,
however, in some rare cases the disease may affect the brain at an
earlier age; in such conditions as Pick’s disease, Binswanger disease,
Parkinson’s, Huntington, Creutafeldt-Jakob disease, Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis(Lou Gehrig’s disease), Multiple Sclerosis and Alcohol
abuse.