National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

November 4, 2026

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, deadly brain disease for which there is no cure, and is not a normal part of healthy aging. Researchers are still working to discover the root cause of the disease, but it’s widely believed to be due to the buildup of misfolded proteins between nerve cells, which causes brain damage. This damage begins a decade or more before symptoms start to show. It’s important to monitor yourself and your loved ones for any signs of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which can proceed Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease:

Memory loss
Poor judgment leading to bad decisions
Loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative
Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
Repeating questions
Trouble handling money and paying bills
Wandering and getting lost
Losing things or misplacing them in odd places
Mood and personality changes
Increased anxiety and/or aggression
Difficulty with language

Signs of MCI:

Losing things often
Forgetting to go to events or appointments
Having more trouble coming up with words than other people of the same age

Treatment and Research

Getting checked by your health care provider can help determine if the symptoms you are experiencing are related to Alzheimer’s disease or MCI. Treatment of the disease may involve medications, lifestyle management strategies and enrollment in clinical trials.

“November Is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month: What You Need to Know.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, 1 Nov. 2022, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2022/11/november-is-alzheimers-disease-awareness-month-what-you-need-to-know.