At War With Alzheimer’s - A Latina Immigrant's Story

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http://newamericamedia.org/2013/01/at-war-with-alzheimers---a-latina-immigrants-story.php

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Although Latinos and African Americans are among the groups most at risk of developing Alzheimer's, both ethnic communities are also among those that take longer to be diagnosed, according to Gallagher Thompson.

According to research by Georgetown University’s Center on an Aging Society, Latinos are less likely to go to the doctor for routine medical check-ups, which affects how they treat conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. This puts them at greater risk for Alzheimer's and other types of dementia and affects their early diagnosis.

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The family faces another challenge: the lack of services available to patients like Ana who can’t access the public health plan Medicaid because they are under 65.

Patients also must fulfill the requirements of being citizens or permanent residents. In Ana’s case, she is a permanent resident of the United States, but she has had residency for fewer than five years, one of the requirements in Georgia to access the medical program.

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