HEALTH

AIDS activist: Still more work to be done

At the height of her career as an accountant for a major corporation, Kim Wilson was stricken with an unexplainable sickness that left her hospitalized for half a year. More »

African American families face Alzheimer's disease

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.-"He was saying that some fellow across the street was taking gas out of his truck," said Ann Small about her husband, James. "I know that [the neighbor] would never do such a thing-and then [James] accused someone of taking tires off of his truck. I didn't pay much attention to it. Then after he was diagnosed, a lot of these little things come to mind." More »

Alzheimer's disease- A Closer Look

In Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia, nerve cells and chemicals called transmitters in the brain are destroyed and replaced by plaques and tangles, thereby obliterating communication among the cells. The destruction results in loss of memory and cognitive skills, such as reasoning and thought, that eventually impairs normal functioning and activities of daily living. More »

You can't get treated if you don't get tested

Often the minority community accepts dementia as a given -- a natural part of aging. Some people are not familiar with the word dementia, but use "mind-slipping" or "old-timers" instead. Consequently, blacks and Latinos are often diagnosed at a late stage or do not receive care at all. The first step is to recognize the symptoms of Alzheimer's and get tested and get information. More »