Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that affects a person’s memory and cognitive ability. There are millions of people across the globe living with Alzheimer’s, and nearly 500,000 new cases are being diagnosed each year. While the debilitating disease can strike anyone, research has shown that women are actually more likely to develop the disease than men.
Below, we will look into the complexities of Alzheimer’s to gain a better understanding of why women are at a higher risk for the disease.
Are Women at Higher Risk for Dementia?
Statistics gathered by the Alzheimer’s Association show that women are in fact more at risk than men for dementia:
- About 2 out of every 3 Americans living with Alzheimer’s are women.
- More than 11 million women in the U.S. are either living with Alzheimer’s or caring for someone who has it.
- A woman’s estimated lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer’s at age 65 is 1 in 5.
- Women in their 60s are more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease over the rest of their lives as they are to develop breast cancer.
Why Does Alzheimer’s Affect Women Differently?
Many believe that women are more prone to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis simply because their average lifespan is longer than men’s – old age is the greatest risk factor for the disease, after all. However, researchers continue to question whether older age is the only reason for this discrepancy, or if biological/genetic variations or differences in life experiences are also contributing factors.
One area researchers have explored is the female reproductive period duration and age at menopause. While existing evidence does not support a direct association between prolonged exposure to female hormones and lower dementia risk, there are indications of better cognitive performance and delayed cognitive decline, which supports a link between female hormone deficiency and cognitive aging.
Sex-specific differences in the brain are another potential cause that researchers are looking into. In a study released at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®), the structural and functional connections of women’s brains may increase the spread of tau proteins, which clumps into tangles and may contribute to cell damage and eventually cell death. These tau tangles are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.
Societal and cultural factors may also play a role in women’s risk of developing the disease. A study indicates that work and family patterns, which have changed drastically over the last 100 years, may affect a woman’s memory decline. Particularly, participating in the paid labor force between early adulthood and mid-life has proven to slow memory decline for women later in life.
How Women Can Reduce Their Risk
Unfortunately, we still do not know of a definitive way to fully prevent Alzheimer’s disease; however, women can take action to reduce the risk of developing it by leading a healthy lifestyle, from exercising frequently to eating healthy to sleeping adequately.
Many lifestyle changes have been shown to also lower the risk of other diseases, like heart disease and diabetes, which have both been linked to Alzheimer’s. Healthy lifestyle choices can improve your health and possibly protect your brain with little to no drawbacks!
Home to Stay’s In-Home Dementia Care
At Home to Stay, we specialize in dementia care, providing individualized support for each and every one of our clients. Our caregivers are trained not only to offer exceptional care for our clients who are living with cognitive disorders but also to support our clients who are not by helping them maintain a healthy lifestyle and therefore lowering the risk of developing certain diseases.
Contact Home to Stay today for all your in-home dementia care needs – our service areas include Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, Monmouth, and Ocean counties.
