Leu & Peirce: Take The First Step To A World Without Alzheimer’s

Take The First Step To A World Without Alzheimer’s

Courtesy Leu & Peirce, PLLC

Everyone has a reason to end Alzheimer’s disease. Maybe your mother is one of the five million Americans living with the disease. Perhaps your grandfather died from Alzheimer’s disease––the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Or, maybe you are a caregiver and, like 15 million other Americans, have contributed to the 18.2 billion hours of unpaid care to people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

No matter your reason to end Alzheimer’s disease, join us at the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s on September 30, 2017, in The Colony at Grandscape (outside Nebraska Furniture Mart), or on October 7, 2017, in Dallas at Dallas City Hall Plaza. Participation in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s is simple. You can sign up individually or as a team at www.alz.org/greaterdallas. Join a community of others who have the same goal of raising money for research to end Alzheimer’s disease.

Leu & Peirce has many reasons to support efforts to end Alzheimer’s disease. As elder law attorneys, we witness daily the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia on our clients and their families. Despite the widespread nature of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, affected individuals continue to face stigma and stereotypes, impacting their well-being and quality of life. It is important for all of us to be educated on what dementia is and is not. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60% to 80% of dementia cases. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that over time destroys a person’s memory and other important mental functions. While the greatest known risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s is increasing age, approximately 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 have early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Since 2000, deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased by 89%, and it is estimated that every 66 seconds someone in the United States develops the disease.

Leu & Peirce work closely with the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Dallas Chapter to support them in their mission of eliminating Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research and providing support for affected individuals and their caregivers. One of our missions is to help our clients alleviate the anxiety that planning for a future with dementia may entail. If you receive a diagnosis of dementia, you may ask yourself questions such as: “Who will take care of me when I need help? How will I pay for the care I may need? Who can I trust to protect me?” Attorneys who devote their practice to elder law can help you understand your options and guide you in making these important decisions. With special sensitivity to the legal issues surrounding the healthcare of older adults, elder law attorneys empower seniors through the long-term care planning process by ensuring that proper estate planning documents are in place and by assisting with planning for the cost of long-term care.

Although elder law attorneys strive to protect the future of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, the legal safety nets we can provide are only temporary solutions until a cure can be found. It takes action and resources to make a difference and everyone can help lead the way. Educate your family, friends, and coworkers that all of us are at risk of being touched by Alzheimer’s––whether by personally suffering from the disease or by providing care to family members or friends who suffer from the disease. Bring your family and friends with you to support the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on September 30th or October 7th. Alzheimer’s is the only leading cause of death that cannot be prevented, cured, or even slowed. A permanent solution can only come from a cure, and a cure can only come with your help.

What is your reason to end Alzheimer’s? Whether it is one of your parents, your spouse, another family member, a friend, or your future, join us as we take one step closer to a cure. 

Lori Leu, Erin Peirce, Lauren Olson, and Laura Chavero are Elder Law attorneys with Leu & Peirce, PLLC located in Plano, Texas. They can be reached at 972-996-2540.