Alzheimer's Association provides educational classes in Spanish on info, signs of disease
According to the Alzheimer's Association, Latinos are one and a half more likely to get Alzheimer's. Because of this statistic, the nonprofit is trying to spread the word to as many Latinos as possible.
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September is World Alzheimer's Month and the start of Hispanic Heritage month, and the Connecticut chapter of the Alzheimer's Association is looking to start conversations within Latinos communities about the disease.
Maria Canales is a community educator for the Alzheimer's Association who is making it a point to conduct educational classes in English and Spanish across Connecticut, with discussions about the signs of Alzheimer's and how to break the stigma behind the disease.
"I want people to come out and get the information that they feel comfortable in," said Canales. "Once they warm up and they get to know you for a couple seconds, they start to tell you about their relatives or their neighbor."
According to the Alzheimer's Association, Latinos are one and a half more likely to get Alzheimer's. Because of this statistic, the nonprofit is trying to spread the word to as many Latinos as possible.
Monday's class was at Optimus Health Care in Bridgeport. The goal is to provide the tools create a domino effect, where they can then share the information, they have learned.
"These are the people who might be able to recognize and say, 'I think they're showing signs I learned about in the class,'" said Kristen Cusato, communications director with Alzheimer's Association of Connecticut.
"It makes them understand that it's okay to talk about the disease," said Canales.
There will be another class in Spanish on Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Waterbury at the Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury.
