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About Char-Koosta News (Pablo, Mont.) 1985-current | View This Issue
Char-Koosta News (Pablo, Mont.), 11 Nov. 1987, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/sn87001367/1987-11-11/ed-1/seq-5/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
AI/AN Safety Campaign The fifth annual American Indian and Alaska Native safety campaign will be held during the month of November, ac cording to Dr. Everett R. Rhoades, di rector of the Indian Health Service. “The campaign is being held to pro mote increased awareness of the tragi cally high rate of accidental deaths and injuries among Native Americans,” said Dr. Rhoades. “Accidents are the leading cause of death among Native Americans aged 1 to 44.” A safety poster competition will be held again this year for youngsters liv ing on or near Indian reservations and enrolled in the 1st through 12th grades. In 1986, about 30,000 youngsters in 26 states entered the poster competition. The winners were honored in Washing ton, D.C., by Health and Human Serv ices Secretary Otis R. Bowen. Other events planned to mark the occasion include essay competitions, health fairs, and Tribal- and commu nity-sponsored safety programs. Additional information about the campaign may be obtained from IHS area offices, health facilities or Tribal administrative offices (745-2422 or 676-2770 here on the Flathead). The Indian Health Service is part of the Health Resources and Services Administration. Diabetes Information ------- An estimated 11 million Americans have diabetes, a disease in which the body does not produce or respond to insulin, a hormone needed for daily life. The resulting high blood sugar can se verely damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. If left un treated, diabetes can lead to death. The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization supporting research and education. It services the entire diabetes community through efforts of thou sands of volunteers from more than 800 affiliates and local chapters in commu nities across the United States. The Montana affiliate offers educa tion and service programs to the more than 40,000 Montanans now afflicted r — * M G O O D ■ V I E D I C I N \ ___________________________________ E ______ ) November has been declared a$ the month for national campaigns on Native safety, and diabetes and Alzheimer's Disease . Facts about Alzheimer’s What is Alzheimer’s Disease? It is a deadly brain disorder that progres sively robs its victims of their ability to func tion, both mentally and physically. It was first medically recognized by a German neu rologist named Alois Alzheimer in 1907. Today, Alzheimer’s affects an estimated 2.5 million American adults. It is the most common form of dementing illness and more than 120,000 die of Alzheimer’s every year, making it the fourth leading cause of death in adults behind heart disease, cancer and stroke. While Alzheimer’s is more common in persons over age 65, it does occur in middle- aged people as well. Alzheimer’s is believed to have many possible causes. The course of the disease varies from person to person. However, its ultimate result is the same — death. What causes Alzheimer’s? At this time, no definite cause has been identified. The Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADRDA) is exploring many theories, as are other groups such as the National Institutes of Health. Their research has recently revealed some interesting find- with the disease, their families, and the medical community. If you know someone who might have diabetes, there are several places to turn for information. Here on the Reserva tion, contact the community-health nurses at Tribal Health (676-2770), who can also put people in touch with a Res ervation-wide support group. Elsewhere in Montana: MISSOULA — 127 East Main #203, ph. 721-3316; BILLINGS — 2525 6th Ave. N., Room 35, ph. 256-0616; and GREAT FALLS — P.O. Box 2411 (zip 59403), ph. 1- 800-232-6668. The national toll-free number is 1- 800-232-3472. ings. Researchers have discovered a “marker” for a gene for an inherited form of Alzheimer’s, which may prove to be an important clue. A problem in evaluating the importance of the genetic factor is the differ ences in age at which the onset of the disease appears. Researchers feel that environmental fac tors, a virus or changes in a person’s immune system may also be involved in the disease process. For example, some say there is evidence that (salts of) aluminum may contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s because unusually high concentrations of aluminum have been found in the brain tissue of vic tims. At this time, however, there is no known evidence linking aluminum to Alzheimer’s Disease. Currently, there is no test for Alzheimer’s, and thorough diagnosis is vital to reaching an Alzheimer’s conclusion. The only means of confirming the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in a person is after death with the performance of an autopsy. At that time, brain tissue can be thoroughly examined. However, diagnosis is very important since other conditions known to cause de mentia — such as depression and drug toxic ity — are both treatable and reversible. Hope for better diagnostic tools comes with re search. What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s? The first symptoms are memory lapses, often followed by unexplainable changes in thought, language, personality, pronounced impairment of judgement, loss of initiative or spontaneity, and general confusion (get ting lost on the way to work, for example). These symptoms usually lead to the diagno sis of Alzheimer’s. As the disease progresses, it is character ized by restlessness and perceptual-motor problems; problems with reading, writing and numbers; and periods when the patient may act suspicious, irritable, teary or silly. The victim may also lose control of appear ance at this point — not bathing or simply forgetting to — and may see or hear things are not there. A victim needs full-time super vision now. At its most advanced, Alzheimer victims may not recognize members of their family or even themselves in the mirror. There is little capacity for self-care, including loss of bladder control and inability to communi cate. Sometimes victims have difficulty with swallowing and suffer from seizures. (Continued next issue) l ] N ovember 11, 1987 — CSKTs C har -K oosta N ews , P ablo , MT — PAGE 5
