Central Texans lace up shoes to walk to end Alzheimer's

AUSTIN, Texas - Central Texans laced up their walking shoes Saturday morning in Southeast Austin to join in the fight against Alzheimer's. 

The Alzheimer's Association held its annual Walk to End Alzheimer's at Circuit of the Americas Nov. 12, with many of the 1200 participants having lost loved ones to Alzheimer's. The Walk is the world's largest fundraiser for Alzheimer's care, support and research and is held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide.

Organizers say not only does the Walk raise crucial funding for research, but it also helps educate those caring for people with Alzheimer's about the resources available to them. The 2022 Walk in Austin raised almost $290,000 this year, just shy of its $350,000 goal.

"There are so many seniors out there who are affected by dementia-related diseases, and it's important to let them and their caregivers know that they can be supported by this fantastic community," said Care Patrol of Central and South Austin owner Anna McMaster. "There's research, there's educational resources. There's so much that the Alzheimer's Association provides, and we want to make sure everyone who's out there dealing with this disease knows about it.

More than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer's right now and more than 11 million family members and friends provide unpaid care to loved ones with dementia. Alzheimer's is among the leading causes of death in the U.S, with deaths more than doubling between 2000 and 2019 and one in three seniors dying with it or another dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Association

In 2022, Alzheimer's disease will cost the United States $321 billion, a number that is projected to rise to nearly $1 trillion in 2050.