New York State Department of Health Recognizes Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month

Department Encourages Brain Health Through Healthy Lifestyle Choices

ALBANY, N.Y. (June 6, 2025) – The New York State Department of Health recognizes Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month this June and encourages New Yorkers to make healthy lifestyle choices that can improve their overall brain health and may help reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. The Department is sharing steps that support brain health and early intervention.

"Real foods are nutrient dense; processed foods are calorie dense," said State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald." Eating more whole, unprocessed foods—like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats—can support both heart and brain health. Taking these healthy steps can improve overall brain function and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease."

In addition to diet and exercise, brain health may also be maintained by reducing high blood pressure, managing diabetes and obesity, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, and getting sufficient sleep. It is also important for people to engage in social activities and keep their minds active and protect their brains from physical injury by wearing seat belts and helmets.

Research continues to show that lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of developing the disease. Key strategies for risk reduction include: 

  • Physical exercise. Getting some kind of physical exercise every day can help decrease the risk of developing dementia. 
  • Diet. Following the Mediterranean, DASH or MIND diets, which emphasize real foods that protect the heart and brain, may decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia.
  • Preventing high blood pressure. Preventing and managing high blood pressure through diet, exercise, and doctor-prescribed medication can reduce risk. 
  • Social support. Social connections and mental stimulation help by engaging the mind. 
  • Sleep. Getting a full eight hours of sleep helps support brain health. 
  • Avoiding head trauma. Wearing helmets when participating in contact sports, riding a bike, or roller blading/skating, as well as wearing a seat belt, all help to prevent head injuries. 
  • Smoking. Not starting, or quitting smoking, can help maintain brain health. 
  • Drinking. Avoiding the excessive consumption of alcohol can help promote a healthy brain. 
  • Hearing. Preventing hearing loss by avoiding loud music or sounds, wearing headphones to block outside sound and keeping the volume low, and following providers advice to correct hearing loss may help reduce the risk of developing dementia. 

New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) Director Greg Olsen said, "The science is unmistakable. Now is the time to make healthy lifestyle choices because Alzheimer's and dementia can begin 20 years or more before memory loss and other symptoms develop. The healthy choices you make today – such as remaining cognitively and socially active, exercising regularly, having your hearing and vision checked regularly and eating nutritiously – will be beneficial as you age."

Community based programs are available through NYSOFA to support caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) while also promoting healthy aging, nutrition, and social connections vital to ADRD prevention and mitigation. These services and supports include the largest nutrition program for older adults in the country, providing over 20 million meals to more than 246,000 individuals annually – a program that is certified by registered dietitians to meet the specific dietary needs of individuals as they age.

Through its network of 59 Area Agencies on Aging and 1,200 community partners, NYSOFA also provides respite and caregiver supports, personal care assistant services, case management, and social programming at senior centers and other social outlets that are vital in overcoming one of the most direct risk factors for ADRD: social isolation. Learn more about programs in your community by visiting NY Connects online or calling 1-800-342-9871. Also, for additional information on good nutrition, stretching food dollars, and living physically active lifestyles, visit the SNAP-Ed New York website at https://snapedny.org/.

Additionally, NYSOFA has forged nearly 30 public-private partnerships and pilot programs using technology to support caregivers, address social isolation, and support brain health. These pilots include evidence-based, interactive step-by-step guides to help individuals with ADRD create healthy, sustainable habits to improve their daily lives, as well as tech-based companionship solutions, and others. Learn more about all of these initiatives on NYSOFA's innovations web page.

More About Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)

Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD) are not normal parts of aging. Dementia is a condition that can be caused by many different diseases, with Alzheimer's Disease being the most common cause. Alzheimer's Disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Alzheimer's disease is not only about memory loss; those with the disease also experience changes in other cognitive abilities, such as reasoning, judgement, language, and attention.

In the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease, memory loss is mild, but in its late-stage, individuals lose the ability to complete daily tasks, carry on a conversation, and respond to their environment. Those with Alzheimer's disease live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable. However, depending on age and other health conditions, survival can range from four to 20 years.

Some medical conditions can cause changes in memory and cognition that can be confused with dementia. For this reason, the Department encourages those experiencing changes in memory or thinking ability to talk with their primary care provider. A comprehensive physical assessment should look for and "rule out" treatable conditions such as nutritional imbalances, acute infections, or the presence of other treatable brain pathologies such as a tumor.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, there are more than seven million Americans in the United States living with ADRD. In 2020, there were an estimated 426,500 people ages 65 and older living with ADRD in New York State (12.7% of the population 65 years and older). Because the size of the population over 65 years of age in New York is expected to increase with population aging, the number of adults with ADRD will continue to increase over the next decade.

There are disparities associated with ADRD development among specific racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. African Americans are twice as likely to develop ADRD compared to white people, and Hispanics one-and-a-half times more likely.

Alzheimer's care currently costs the health care system in the U.S. an estimated $384 billion. That cost does not include the additional care provided by more than 12 million caregivers of someone living with ADRD. This unpaid care has been valued at $413 billion. In New York State, more than 656,000 caregivers provided 884 million hours of unpaid care in 2025, valued at $22.6billion.

Through the Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Support Initiative, New York State invests more than $26 million annually for critical services and support for persons living with ADRD and their caregivers statewide.

Under the Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Support Initiative, New York funds 10 Centers of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease, 11 Regional Caregiver Support Initiative programs and the one statewide Alzheimer's Disease Community Assistance Program (AlzCAP). Collectively, these initiatives provide:

  • early detection and diagnosis
  • medical provider training
  • consultations and assessments
  • caregiver education
  • caregiver support and engagements activities
  • respite
  • 24-hour Helpline access
  • community awareness and outreach and engagement with underserved communities

The Department's Alzheimer's Disease Program website provides a wealth of resources on brain health and for individuals impacted by Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementias, including services available to individuals living with ADRD and their caregivers.

The Alzheimer's Association also provides a great deal of information about the disease and ongoing clinical trials and research, including this page focused on healthy habits for your brain.