Collin County Living Well Magazine September/October 2017 | Page 21

Take The First Step To A
World Without Alzheimer’s
E
Courtesy Leu & Peirce, PLLC
veryone 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 in-
dividually or as a team at www.alz.org/
greaterdallas. Join a community of oth-
ers 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 q uestions 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.
COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
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