BANGOR, Maine — Drew Wyman was 10 years old when a grandparent moved in with his family after showing signs of Alzheimer's, during a time when there was a negative stigma around the disease and little hope for treatment.
Fast-forward to present day, Wyman is the Executive Director of Maine's Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
“It’s amazing how far we’ve come in 40 years, and that’s what gives me hope looking ahead, now that we have a couple of drugs coming on the market, attacking the underlying pathology of the disease is huge progress, but it’s just the very beginning," he said Wednesday.
While progress has been made, the annual Alzheimer's Association's Facts and Figures report highlights concerns in Maine.
The most recent data shows 29,600 Mainers age 65 and older live with Alzheimer's, representing 10% of that population. In 2021, 539 Mainers died from the disease.
There are also just 36 geriatricians in the state and the association predicts that number will have to nearly double by 2050 to meet the demand of future patients, as Maine's population gets older and people live longer.
Wyman acknowledged the challenges families face when trying to find care and many Mainers take it upon themselves to support their loved ones with Alzheimer's.
“Once you start connecting with a family and see how much of a difference you’re making with people is huge...and I think that’s the motivation for a lot of direct care workers," Wyman added.
Dr. Clifford Singer, a geriatrician and psychiatrist, has worked at Northern Light Acadia Hospital in Bangor since 2010 and said he's put off retirement because of how much he enjoys helping families navigate the disease and other forms of dementia.
He said Wednesday that recent funding for dementia research is drawing new healthcare workers to the field and is allowing experts to make new Alzheimer-related discoveries at a "rapid" pace.
“People will move to Maine to work in this field to help Mainers when they realize they can have a productive career here," Dr. Singer said.
At Acadia Hospital, he added, four medical students will begin a residency program this summer to train in dementia care with a goal of keeping them in Maine after completing their program.
Dr. Singer complimented Maine's Republican Senator Susan Collins for her work advocating for federal funding to explore new research methods, and build up public initiatives to combat Alzheimer's and preserve brain health.
“Alzheimer’s disease is one of the greatest and most under-recognized public health threats of our time. Millions of Americans and thousands of Mainers are living with the disease, and, as the 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures data shows, the number of people affected by the disease is soaring as our overall population grows older and lives longer," Collins said in a statement.
Being open with family members about brain health is crucial, Dr. Singer and Wyman shared, but it's also important to meet with primary care physicians to potentially rule out dementia concerns.
Wyman said some warning signs could be affected by a side effect of a medication or a sleep disorder.
To keep your brain healthy as you get older, Dr. Singer said, it's important to maintain a healthy diet, like eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with getting enough sleep and remaining physically and socially active.
It's also important, Wyman added, for Mainers to understand the ten early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's and dementia.
You can also find other resources and support systems here. The Alzheimer's Association's 24/7 helpline number is 800-272-3900.