Program to examine Alzheimer aid

Contact: Sammy McDavid

A discussion of ways to promote independence among persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease will be held April 24 at Mississippi State University.

Sponsored by the university's gerontology program, the public meeting begins at 3:30 p.m. in the Colvard Union small auditorium.

Dr. Chris Johnson, director of the Northeast Louisiana University's Institute of Gerontology, is featured speaker.

Alzheimer's is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain in which brain cells die and are not replaced. The most common of dementing illnesses, it results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior.

The disease afflicts an estimated 4 million Americans, striking equally among men and women of all races. Although most people diagnosed are older than age 60, the disease can occur in people in their 40s and 50s.

For additional information, telephone Carolyn Adams-Price at (601) 325-3202.