Alzheimer's disease and other dementias impact all people, regardless of their ethnicity, race or socioeconomic background. Over 67,000 Oklahomans currently are living with Alzheimer's and advancing research to find effective treatments is key to changing the trajectory of the disease.
On November 12, the OKC Black Chamber of Commerce and the Alzheimer's Association Oklahoma Chapter are partnering to host "What's Happening with Alzheimer's Research and YOU?," a virtual presentation addressing the impact of Alzheimer's and ethnically and racially diverse communities. The hour-long webinar will focus on the prevalence of Alzheimer's within minority populations, what research is revealing about the issue and the need for the public to be involved in the fight. The event will begin at 4 p.m.
"African Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's than whites and Hispanics are one and a half times more likely," said Mark Fried, President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association Oklahoma Chapter. "We're learning more all the time about what elevates an individual's risk of developing dementia and this webinar offers an abundance of detail that people will benefit from."
The featured speaker will be Dr. Carl V. Hill, Interim Chief Diversity Officer for the Alzheimer's Association. Prior to joining the Association, Hill served as director of the Office of Special Populations at the National Institute of Aging (NIA). In his six years at the NIA, he led the development of a program that stimulates studies focused on health disparities related to aging.
"Every day someone asks our staff about what is happening with Alzheimer's research," Fried said. "Dr. Hill's experience offers a unique expertise in the area of research that helps us learn more about how people of color are impacted by dementia.
"This webinar is a great opportunity for individuals to hear an expert address questions they most closely relate to."
The event will be offered via video conference and attendees must register in advance in order to receive the correct link. To register click here https://bit.ly/352VYjj,
go to alz.org/crf or call 800-272-3900 and request registration information for Alzheimer's Research and YOU.