5 Ways to Honor World Alzheimer's Day

Sept. 21 is designated as World Alzheimer's Day, where people around the world unite to raise awareness for Alzheimer's disease. Last year, Maria Shriver marked World Alzheimer's Day by highlighting that, "The nation's 78 million baby boomers are at the forefront of a coming Alzheimer's tsunami. They are entering their mid-60s and many will be getting Alzheimer's, which now affects 1 in every 8 people over 65."

That is a frightening statistic when you consider how many friends and family we know who are part of this age group. The sad reality is that we are all likely to be touched by Alzheimer's disease at some point in our lives.

Most of us are terrified at the idea that we or our loved ones might develop Alzheimer's and lose the cognitive functions that make us who we are. The result is that we try not to think about it. However, if we avoid it, we may not follow the recommended measures to reduce our risk of Alzheimer's, may miss the early warning signs and may not know how to help those around us who are dealing with it.

Here are five easy ways to honor World Alzheimer's Day this year: