Did you know that out of the 5 million people who have Alzheimer’s right now, 3.2 million of them are women? By the age of 65, 1 in 6 women will get Alzheimer’s compared to 1 in 11 men. In fact, women over 65 are twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s as they are breast cancer. Does this give you pause?
Now I’ve got to tell you, that’s weird. Why? Because when you look at the checklist of what to do to NOT get Alzheimer’s, the number one thing science says it to, “make friends & create social connections.” And guess what? Women do that WAY better than men! In spades!
So what gives? Apparently, if you have the APO-E4 gene, which is linked to Alzheimer’s, and you’re a woman, you are very likely to succumb to the disease. If you’re a man? Not so much. There is some research that says it’s because women live longer and that estrogen loss contributes to the buildup of amyloid plaques, but really? The jury is out.
So here’s my take: if you’re a woman, make friends and lots of them. I consider myself super fortunate because I do have friends, lots of them, from Australia to Arizona. I have a zillion more friends than my husband and considering the statistics, maybe that’s a good thing. My friends come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Even better, the ones I know that I can count on would be totally cool if I started talking to plastic tumblers. In fact, they would talk to them, too, just so I don’t feel so alone. Now, that’s a real friend.
So, in case you are looking for one yourself, here is a checklist:
1. They accept you “as is” but they don’t let you get away with BS.
2. They are ‘empathetic’—not ‘sympathetic.’
3. They encourage you to be your BEST self and kick your butt if you’re not.
4. They listen and listen and then some.
5. They are ‘there’ for you even if you haven’t seem them for 40 years.
In the pictures above and below, you will see some of my tennis girlfriends. I love them. I can count on them and know what else? They can count on me.
AGEFULLY AGING 
Leave a reply to Helen Hudson Cancel reply