5 Activist Who Are Saving Our Oceans

Welcome back everyone to Traveling Activist with your host Zachery Ramos. Today I will be sharing with you all 5 Activist who are saving are ocean's sea life. Where can you find nearly 20 million tons of gold, food, and medicine for millions of people, over half of Earth’s oxygen, fuel for clean energy wind farms, and about eight million metric tons of annual plastic waste? You guessed it—the world’s oceans.

On June 8, scientists, celebrities, artists, and ocean-lovers worldwide are taking part in World Oceans Day, a United Nations-designated holiday to raise awareness about climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing. If you want to celebrate by making some waves in your local ocean conservation movement, here are five ocean heroes who are guaranteed to inspire you:

Vivien Li 

VIVIEN LI has spent 25 years as an advocate for clean and accessible urban waterfronts. She started her advocacy career in Boston, Massachusetts, where she became president of The Boston Harbor Association (TBHA), a nonprofit dedicated to cleaning up what was once one of the nation’s dirtiest harbors. Li also helped to construct the HarborWalk, a 38-mile public walkway that lines Boston’s waterfront. In 2015, the long-time activist left TBHA to become president and CEO of Riverlife, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit organization dedicated to reclaiming and restoring Pittsburgh’s riverfronts.

Jean-Michel Cousteau

Image thanks to SaveourOceans

JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU comes from a family of oceanographers (his father was the famous deep-sea adventurer, scientist, and filmmaker Jacques-Yves Cousteau), so it isn’t surprising that, in 1990, he started the Ocean Futures Society in an effort to educate the public about marine conservation. Cousteau is also known for building an eco-oriented resort in Fiji and for becoming the first person to represent the Environment at an Olympic Games opening ceremony in 2002.

Jean Wiener

Image thanks to SaveourOceans

JEAN WIENER is a marine biologist and activist who has spearheaded Haiti’s ocean conservation movement. Over two decades ago, Wiener started the Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversite Marine, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving mangrove trees and coral reefs and cleaning the island nation’s beaches. In 2013, the Haitian government signed the nation’s first Marine Protected Areas into law, due largely to Wiener’s community-based leadership. Wiener was honored with the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015.

Dana Beach

DANA BEACH quit his job as a successful New York investment banker at the age of 28 to found South Carolina’s Coastal Conservation League, a nonprofit that raises awareness about the effects of climate change and works to stop environmentally harmful practices like offshore drilling and plastic pollution in the state. In 2002, the league helped stop the expansion of a port at one of the state’s islands that would have been as large as downtown Charleston.

Richard O'Barry

Image thanks to SaveourOceans

RICHARD O’BARRY began his career as a trainer for captive dolphins for the American TV-series Flipper. But after one of the show’s dolphins died in the handler’s arms, he left his job to pursue a career as an advocate against dolphin capture. Over 40 years later, O’Barry heads the Dolphin Project, an organization that is working to reduce dolphin exploitation and slaughter worldwide. With the help of the Dolphin Project, O’Barry works to rescue and rehabilitate captured dolphins and continues to speak out against dolphin hunting. The marine advocate starred in a 2009 documentary called The Cove about dolphin slaughtering practices off the coast of Japan and is the recipient of an Environmental Achievement Award, presented by the U.S. Committee for the United Nations Environmental Program.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Get your marine activism rolling by joining the Sierra Club’s Marine Action Team (MAT), which works to protect and restore marine ecosystems and the creatures who depend on them. One notable MAT member is ocean activist and scuba diver Dave Raney, who helped establish the United States’ first marine national monument.

You can also check out the Sierra Club’s volunteer and service trips, many of which focus on coastal areas.

Interview with Irene Miller-Holocaust Survivor, Writer and, Educator

Irene Miller

Welcome back everyone to Traveling Activist with your host Zachery Ramos. Today I have a  special interview for you all with the author, the educator and, the survivor Mrs. Irene Miller. We are happy to have Mrs. Miller on today to share with us some of her story and, to tell us a bit about her novel, “Into No Man’s Land”. Now let's begin with a short history of what happened to the Jewish people during 1938 to what is happening to those who survived and, living with us now.


 There were over 9 million Jews living in Europe in 1938. Six million were killed during the holocaust 1.5 million were innocent children. Today less than 100,000 Holocaust survivors remain worldwide. Soon their voices will be silent. Today we have Irene Miller, one of the few living survivors of the Holocaust to share with us her story, thank you Mrs.Miller for joining us and let’s begin with the interview.


 How old were you when the war was happening?


“I was 5 years old when the Nazi attacked Poland.”

Irene as a child

 What types of speaking engagements have you given?

 “I have spoken at schools, churches, to military and, at national conferences sharing my story, promoting tolerance and acceptance of diversity. When you visit my website irenemillerspeaker.com under events you will find a list of places I have spoken since the University of Michigan published my book Into No Man's Land: A Historical Memoir. ”


 What do you think of the current refugee movement in countries turning them away and, accepting them? Some countries going as far as comparing what is happening today in society to the holocaust and, what happened to the Jewish people during the holocaust.


 “Six million Jews, among them 1.5  million of children were killed just because they were Jews, and Hitler didn't like Jews. Horrors like the holocaust don't just happen all at once,  they start with rhetoric than some social injustices which people accept, and by increments grow to become monsters difficult to control. If the United States and other countries turn away, don't accept refugees, who are seeking safety, what is to happen to these people. All citizens in the US, other than native Americans, are here because their predecessors were allowed to come as immigrants or refugees."

 What was your life like during the holocaust? Where did they have you move to, where did you go after?

 “That is too brought a question, it took me over 300 pages to describe it in my book, Int No Man's Land: A Historical Memoir, I suggest you read it, it is available on Amazon.

There I will take you on a survival journey little written and known about. You will sleep in the winter under an open sky on the no man’s land; you will freeze in a Siberian labor camp where the bears come to your door front. In Uzbekistan, you will live on boiled grass or broiled onions, and shiver with malaria. You will spend years in
orphanages. When this is over you will wonder how a child with this background grows up to become a positive, creative, accomplished woman with a joy of living and love to share.

My background, as you can see is not what people expect of a Holocaust survivor. This one of the reasons the University of Michigan was interested in me writing my story. I invite all of you to visit my website irenemillerspeaker.com to get a better understanding what am trying to do and all the places I have
spoken."


 What would you like to share with the youth of the world today to help make the world a better one?

Irene giving a presentation to high school students

 “I have tried all my adult life to live by a Jewish principle called Tikun Olam, which literally means repairing the world. We each have a responsibility to make this world a little better for everyone. I respect and appreciate every good human being, independent of their religion, the color of their skin, their origin etc. Young people can start with showing understanding and kindness to those who differ from them, have a different lifestyle, but are good
people. It is important to learn and understand what can happen when we do not respect diversity. History has a way of repeating itself, and to help prevent it you have to know what and how it happened."

 
Do you have any brothers or sister, any other family out there?

 “I have only an older sister who lives in Israel. She has been having a tough time, depressed for many years. She is my only living relative from my initial family. My extended family was made of 60 to 70 people,  not a single one of them survived the Holocaust."


 Irene, you had mentioned earlier on in the interview you have 3 degrees, what are those degrees in?

"B.S. in psychology
Masters in Social psychology
MBA with a major in hospital management"


After the holocaust what happened to you, Irene.

"After the war ended I returned to Poland and spent another 4-5 years in orphanages. I immigrated to Israel and that was a different chapter of my life with different challenges. I knew no one in Israel, did not know the
spoken language there, and at the age of 16-17 had to support myself."


Irene suffered a lot, experienced a lot of pain. In times of pain and, times of joy,  times of celebration, we want to to be surrounded by people who loved us and, provide some continuity, that is extended family.  these were the times when she experienced the most her loss of such.  She has absolutely no sense of continuity just based on the people around me.


 From the day the war started Irene was no longer a child, she witnessed killings that no child could ever understand why or what they meant. She learned that she could no longer depend on her parents to protect her, her father could no longer protect her from the events around her. When they had to escape Poland when the Germans stopped their carriage in the middle and ripped off any clothing her father had.  it became a sad realization that her father is no longer the omnipotent man that used to be able to protect her.


 Escaping to Russia was a combination of two elements. One, escaping the Nazis and, also believing that communism was such a wonderful system for workers. At that time in Europe, workers believed that Communism can best take care of their needs. The family hired a guide to smuggle them across the border into the Soviet Union, but the man dropped them off on the no man's land. The Soviets would not allow anyone to enter. For 6 weeks, in the bitter winter, the family lived in an open field where people were dying of starvation, exposure, diseases etc. 

 Irene had shared that, “One night I woke up and there was a man under the covers sleeping next to me. I tried to push him out but I must have fallen back to sleep. The next day when I  awoke the man that was under the covers next to her was dead."

Irene Miller's "Into No Man's Land"

 While in No Man's Land Irene also witnessed a woman trying to get her and her infant closer to a fire to warm them both up. As the woman got closer a man saw what the woman was carrying and, told her your infant does not need warming anymore the baby is dead. The man took the baby out of the mother's arms and, proceed where the Soviet soldiers were guarding the border. The man laid that wrapped infant on the ground in front of the soldiers. The people who were around the fire followed him and, they started to let them in yelling at them, “Can you not see we are all dying one by one out here!” One guard did not say a single word, he just kicked that infant back into the crowd.

 If you would like to learn more about Mrs.Irene Miller you can buy her book “Into No Man’s Land: A Historical Memoir” where she goes more into depth about her life story and, those of others that she witnessed. Irene any last remarks you’d like to share with the viewers?


 “If any of you read my book and, have any questions,  on the back of the book is my email address. I will answer any questions you may have.”


 That’s it for Traveling Activist with your host Zachery Ramos. I would like to thank you, Irene, for joining us today, you have truly taught me something today about why it is important to accept and, help spread diversity. If you read anything this year I highly recommend you read Irene’s “Into No Man’s Land.” Thank you all for joining us today and, hope you enjoyed.

Super Bowl Commercials

Image thanks to NFL

             

Hello and, welcome back to Traveling Activist with your host Zachery Ramos. Today is a short page, I just wanted to share with you all some of the commercials from the Super Bowl that are causing controversy due to their message. There is also one if you go to Lumber84's website that has a commercial they were told to shorten because they didn't want it on the air if they didn't cut out the ending due to its message. To these companies, I thank you for sharing your message with the world.

See How Audi Plugs Gender Equality in Super Bowl Spot | Special ...

Coca-Cola #AmericaIsBeautiful 2014 Super Bowl Commercial ...

Budweiser's 2017 Super Bowl Commercial Goes Full Social Justice ...

Remember to keep viewing Traveling Activist for all your interview needs from around the world. 

Activist for Alzheimer's Research Part Five - Conclusion of Research

Image thanks to Pinterest

Hello everybody, welcome back to Part Five of Activist for Alzheimer’s Research on Traveling Activist with your host Zachery Ramos. Today is the conclusion of the five-part series and, I would like to thank you all who have been following this series. Looking over current views from our global recorder I noticed that Germany, Ukraine and, Ireland were the main foreign viewers of the series so thank you to all of you viewers from around the world. Now let's begin with our final part on Alzheimer’s with some good news.

Some encouraging news in the battle against Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia: The rate at which older Americans are getting these conditions is declining. That's according to a study published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers say one reason for the improved outlook is an increase in education.

The study used data gathered in two snapshots, one in 2012 and another in 2016, that each looked at more than 10,000 Americans who were at least 65 years old. In the first snapshot, 14.6 percent of them had some form of dementia. In the second snapshot, it was 9.8 percent.

Put in more human terms, "that's well over a million people who don't have dementia, who would have had it if the rates had stayed the same as 2012 rates," says John Haaga, who directs the Division of Behavioral and Social Research at the National Institute on Aging, which funded the study.

While the prevalence of dementia cases dropped, the average amount of education in the study population increased. In 2012, the average amount of education was 13.8 years, just shy of the 11 years it usually takes to graduate from high school. In 2016, the average amount of education was 12.7 years — in other words, high school plus a little bit of college.

Researchers don't know why education should be a protector against dementia, says Dr. Kenneth Langa, a professor of medicine at the University of Michigan and the lead author of the study. But they have some theories.

"One is that education might actually change the brain itself," Langa says. "We think that it actually creates more, and more complicated, connections between the nerve cells so that you're able to keep thinking normally later into life."

Education can not only change the brain, it can change your whole life, says Haaga. "It affects what kind of work you do, of course. It also affects who your friends are, who you're married to, whether you're married. All aspects of life are affected by educational attainment," he says.

But the study doesn't say that education alone is the "X factor" in preventing dementia. There are medical factors as well.

Cardiovascular conditions believed to increase the risk of dementia — things like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes — are becoming more common, says Haaga. But they're also being treated more aggressively.

"So it could well be that we're getting better at managing the bad effects of these risk factors," he says. "But they are still risk factors."

This study fits a recent trend. In the past decade or so, other researchers have found similar declines in dementia risk in wealthier nations. But the populations they examined haven't been very diverse. This study is different. It draws on the ongoing Health and Retirement Study that follows about 20,000 older Americans of all backgrounds nationwide.

Langa says the ethnic, geographic and economic diversity of the subjects makes the trend shown in all these studies more convincing. "The fact that our study also shows a decline [in the prevalence of dementia], provides additional evidence that this phenomenon seems to be going on across the United States and not in one particular geographic region."

But while the risk of dementia is declining, the number of cases is still expected to rise. That's because the population of older adults in this country is increasing. The number of people 65 and older is expected to nearly double by 2050.

Now in 2017 the new year show’s promise of higher advances in Dementia research and, better care for those suffering from this disease. I would like to thank you all for traveling with me on this series of Activist for Alzheimer’s Research these past five days, I hope you all have learned something be it new ideas on Dementia or, just about other countries way of helping stop the disease. That's it for today on Traveling Activist with your favorite host Zachery Ramos and, always remember if you can dream it you can achieve it as long as your heart is in it.

Activist for Alzheimer's Research Part Four- Dementia Stories

Image thanks to ALC

Goodmorning viewers, hope you are all feeling well rested and, ready for another day of Traveling Activist with your favorite host Zachery Ramos. Today we will be in Part Four of the Activist for Alzheimer’s series and, today is all about sharing with you all the stories of people who are going through this tragic disease. I must warn you all if you are weak of heart then make sure you have a box of tissues next to you for these stories can bring out tears.

Bridgett’s Story- Irish

I am 55 years old and have been married for 32 years. We have two wonderful grown daughters and a beautiful 4-year-old grandson. I grew up in an Irish Catholic family with seven brothers and sisters. My mother was an alcoholic. She was very abusive, and my dad did the best he could to protect us. She passed away when she was 55.

I started drinking and doing drugs at 11. I was severely addicted and took over 100 pills a day along with the drinking. I brought my husband and daughters into the same hell I grew up in; the only difference have I loved my girls so much I could not abuse them, so all the abuse was toward myself. I went to rehab at age 35, when my girls were 9 and 7. It has been 19 years in Alcoholics Anonymous, and it has been rough. As a family, we have worked together in counseling to try to mend the issues from my alcoholism and drug addiction. We are very close and love one another intensely.

I did suffer brain damage, but I also was blessed with a wonderful job as a family social worker in a very poor school district. In my late 40s, I started noticing some forgetfulness – like everyone my age – but it continued to get worse, and other things started to happen. I had done so well in my job, but then the forgetfulness turned to confusion, time loss and not recognizing people I had known for years. I started to have tremors and huge bouts of anger from nowhere.

I was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the fall of 2006. I had to retire from my job a few years prior because of my symptoms and other physical problems. I have been through the medications, and things are not good. My family is in pain once again because of my disease, and I can’t even describe how much I don’t want to be a burden to my loved ones. Some days, I don’t get out of bed, and others I fight like hell to get up and get out, even when I feel horrible. I see people I don’t recognize. My speech is terrible, which makes me self-conscious.

We have heard about new medications coming out, and I am so excited. I am going for my six-month check up at the Alzheimer clinic closest to us. My girls are in the prime of their lives. They both had full college athletic scholarships and have wonderful careers, but all they do is worry about me, as does my husband.

Out of 55 years of life, I have only lived 19. We have to keep giving for research. This is a horrible way to live, and I have experienced life on God’s terms. I pray every day for my family and myself that something will change.

Ted’s Story- Found on http://www.alz.org/

The first manifestation of something being amiss with my memory was in late 2004 when I began to have problems remembering some details relative to my job.

My position as a computer systems analyst in a major Chicago area hospital required that I support the patient document imaging system, the patient registration system and the materials management system, which also included finance and accounting. These systems were not linked and each had individual characteristics, which I had to account for in the diagnosis and correction of problems, as well as installation of upgrades.

Having noted this memory issue, I compensated by taking copious notes about problems and writing detailed procedures for system operation, as well as problem diagnosis and correction. This helped the memory issue, but slowed me down as I could not always remember steps that were easy for me to remember in earlier times, which required me to stop and look up information on my “cheat sheets.”  

Some users noted that my verbal responses to their questions were not always immediate and that they saw me referring to notes to find some information. They did not bring this to my attention. My memory issues had been mentioned by some users to the director of information systems, who called me into the office of my supervisor, who served as a witness to the proceedings. Unfortunately for me, her response to the complaints was to terminate me immediately, and I was escorted out of the building.

I was very surprised, to say the least, and basically said nothing at this point, not that I had much time to do so as I was escorted out very quickly. When my wife, also a Lake Forest Hospital employee, later talked to the Director of Human Resources about my issues, she was told that my termination was due to performance issues and not any disease, as the issue did not arise after an official diagnosis was made. If I had almost any other physical impairment or disease, such as a stroke, heart attack or amputation, I would have been eligible to collect disability from the hospital.

Having noted these issues, my wife and I made contact with the Rush Alzheimer’s unit in Chicago, and I was evaluated there in February of 2005. The result of these tests indicated that I did have memory impairment, but they would need follow-up test in six months to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. Thus, I have evaluated again the following August, and the tests showed a decline from the February results, which led to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

For a time I worked as a greeter at Wal-Mart, where they were very understanding about the Alzheimer’s. But subsequent issues made it harder for me to perform this job as my memory was pretty erratic. I was now retired, whether I wanted to be or not.

I must say that Social Security was very understanding, and at the first appointment, I described my issues and was approved for Social Security Disability. If not for this, we would have been in severe financial trouble. I will be eternally grateful to Social Security for their understanding and fast assistance.

However, I was turned down by the VA which, as a veteran (Vietnam era), came as some surprise to me. Oh well, we are still pursuing this avenue. This does highlight a problem that there is no consistent approach to Alzheimer’s by the various entities with which we must interact.

Due to the income decline noted above, we had to sell our home and move to more modest housing. Also, my interaction with our grandchildren is different now as they know that I am different, but are not sure just what the problem is. I am also concerned about my higher level of frustration and memory lapses. I am no longer comfortable taking them on road trips to various parks as I did in the past for fear that I will have a memory lapse and forget them or somehow endanger their safety.

Now I am reluctant to go places alone, and my wife has retired early to be with me at all times. This is actually a benefit for me, as I treasure her company above all others, but it was another economic loss for us. Additionally, I have few new memories to speak of as recent events just do not stay in my mind on a consistent basis. As a result, I feel that I am robbed of any future because while I will live in it, I will be unlikely to remember it.

I do believe that our country can do anything if properly motivated as was the case in the space race and World War II for example. When we are fired up, nothing can withstand the onslaught of American vigor and know-how. We just need to focus our efforts to solve any issue.

Alzheimer’s is a sleeping giant and as the baby boomers age, the issue will impact society in a geometric progression due to the great increase in those suffering from this disease.  

Finally, I could not write this without the help of my wife. Yes, I am educated and was always very successful in academic endeavors, but now, I can’t consistently retain short-term memories without someone to keep me on track with what I want to say.

My wife is now my memory, and I can write this only with her ability to remember parts of my life that I am getting fuzzy about. In some cases, I can forget what I was trying to say while typing the sentence, so I tell her what I was getting at, so she can help if it fades out as I type it.

Victoria’s Story- Living with Alzheimer's for 3 Now

I am 57 and was diagnosed in 2004 with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. I was a bank manager and was very active in my community and church.

One afternoon, I left work and did not know how to get home. This was the start of a "downhill no return" into the Alzheimer's world. I am now in my world, a world of confusion, fatigue, and most days, in severe pain.

I know there are days that I am more confused than others, and there are some days I am more agitated than others. I used to be this very independent, overachiever. And now, I am this very dependent underachiever, which causes me much frustration. Where things used to be very easy for me, all things now I find very complicated – even the easiest task.

My eyesight is unpredictable, so that leaves me with little reading time. But when I can read, I enjoy reading my Bible and spending time with God. I love it when my husband tells me it is time to go to church. There I find peace (even though sometimes it can be chaotic).

I now have a part-time caregiver, and she has been a lifesaver for me. She gets me out of the house, and I try to with my time with her help others. I go to a support group meeting near my home, which has been very helpful. I am hoping there will be a support group for early-onset Alzheimer's disease coming to my area very soon, and I am looking forward to it.

I have a husband of 38 years that is very supportive, even though I know I put lots of pressure on him. He tells me he can handle it, and I love him even more. We have a 5th wheel camper, and we love traveling when we can. He is still employed, but we travel to the mountains and to a local lake where we can fish for crappie, which we both love to do. We own a pontoon boat due to me and my disorientation; I can fish from it much better.

We love spending time with our grandchildren. We have three (two boys, one little girl and another due in September). We have two daughters who are a great support to us, but we try not to put too much pressure on them because they have their husbands, work, and children.

I have autonomic neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy, which gives me much leg and arm pain. This complicates things, but I am a fighter. I have much determination, so I keep on fighting and keep on going. God is good, and he will always remain on his throne. There is where I find my peace and draw my strength.

I never have what people call normal days, but each day is a day in its own and I thank God for every day. He gives me as someone else stated (which I can't remember who), "I am thankful for this day God has granted me on this side of the soil."  Another one of my favorite's is, "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice in it."   

There are thousand’s more of  these types of stories around the world each one worse through time. Some with happy endings of families being understanding and, loving through it all. While some are sadly unlucky and, are casted out to be left wondering the streets trying to figure out who they are or what happened to themselves. We have to love and, care for those dealing with this disease because, they need our help in fighting the battle to remember who they are. Today’s question for you all is how can we help those suffering from Dementia? That’s it today for Traveling Activist with your host Zachery Ramos and, before I go always remember if you can dream it you can achieve it as long as your heart is in it. Stay safe everyone and, enjoy the beautiful day.

Activist for Alzheimer's Research Part Three - Dementia Research Globally

Image thanks to Pinterest

Hello everyone and, welcome back to Traveling Activist with your favorite host Zachery Ramos. Welcome back everyone to Part Three of my Five Part series on the theory does education share a relationship with dementia? Today I have for you all 4 different countries take on Dementia and, the population rate affected by the disease in these countries. Hope you all enjoy the read and, see you all at the end.

America

Some encouraging news in the battle against Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia: The rate at which older Americans are getting these conditions is declining. That's according to a study published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers say one reason for the improved outlook is an increase in education.

The study used data gathered in two snapshots, one in 2000 and another in 2012, that each looked at more than 10,000 Americans who were at least 65 years old. In the first snapshot, 11.6 percent of them had some form of Dementia. In the second snapshot, it was 8.8 percent.

Put in more human terms, "that's well over a million people who don't have dementia, who would have had it if the rates had stayed the same as 2000 rates," says John Haaga, who directs the Division of Behavioral and Social Research at the National Institute on Aging, which funded the study.

While the prevalence of Dementia cases dropped, the average amount of education in the study population increased. In 2000, the average amount of education was 11.8 years, just shy of the 12 years it usually takes to graduate from high school. In 2012, the average amount of education was 12.7 years — in other words, high school plus a little bit of college.

Researchers don't know why education should be a protector against dementia, says Dr. Kenneth Langa, a professor of medicine at the University of Michigan and the lead author of the study. But they have some theories.

"One is that education might actually change the brain itself," Langa says. "We think that it actually creates more, and more complicated, connections between the nerve cells so that you're able to keep thinking normally later into life."

Education can not only change the brain, it can change your whole life, says Haaga. "It affects what kind of work you do, of course. It also affects who your friends are, who you're married to, whether you're married. All aspects of life are affected by educational attainment," he says.

But the study doesn't say that education alone is the "X factor" in preventing Dementia. There are medical factors as well.

Cardiovascular conditions believed to increase the risk of Dementia — things like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes — are becoming more common, says Haaga. But they're also being treated more aggressively.

"So it could well be that we're getting better at managing the bad effects of these risk factors," he says. "But they are still risk factors."

This study fits a recent trend. In the past decade or so, other researchers have found similar declines in Dementia risk in wealthier nations. But the populations they examined haven't been very diverse. This study is different. It draws on the ongoing Health and Retirement Study that follows about 20,000 older Americans of all backgrounds nationwide.

Langa says the ethnic, geographic and economic diversity of the subjects makes the trend shown in all these studies more convincing. "The fact that our study also shows a decline, provides additional evidence that this phenomenon seems to be going on across the United States and not in one particular geographic region." Resource-http://kuow.org/

But while the risk of Dementia is declining, the number of cases is still expected to rise. That's because the population of older adults in this country is increasing. The number of people 65 and older is expected to nearly double by 2050.

Germany

Test on Dementia done in Germany estimates the number of people with Dementia in Germany in 2012 as being 1,572,104. This represents 1.92 % of the total population of 81,990,837. The number of people with dementia as a percentage of the population is somewhat higher than the EU average of 1.55%. Now in 2016, that number has drastically doubled in the past 4 years reaching above  3,468,325.  The following table shows the estimated number of people with Dementia between 30 and 59 and for every 5-year age group thereafter. Resource-http://www.alzheimer-europe.org/

Age group	Men with dementia	Women with dementia	Total
30 - 59	28,656	15,745	44,401
60 - 64	4,740	22,149	26,889
65 - 69	37,007	30,784	67,792
70 - 74	70,514	96,980	167,494
75 - 79	113,093	156,392	269,485
80 - 84	128,627	228,221	356,848
85 - 89	93,540	285,604	379,143
90 - 94	34,516	176,903	211,419
95+	6,443	42,190	48,633
Total	517,136	1,054,968	1,572,104

People living with Dementia Globally

Spain

Alzheimer Europe estimates the number of people with Dementia in Spain in 2012 as being 818,347. This represents 1.75% of the total population of 46,771,596. The number of people with dementia as a percentage of the population is somewhat higher than the EU average of 1.55%. This rate has also drastically risen from 2012 to now in 2016 being 1,234,143. The following table shows the estimated number of people with Dementia between 30 and 59 and for every 5-year age group thereafter. Resource-http://www.alzheimer-spain.org/

Age group	Men with dementia	Women with dementia	Total
30 - 59	17,375	9,481	26,856
60 - 64	2,402	11,656	14,057
65 - 69	18,472	16,098	34,570
70 - 74	26,083	37,211	63,294
75 - 79	50,021	72,307	122,328
80 - 84	76,543	131,888	208,431
85 - 89	56,821	140,923	197,744
90 - 94	26,993	92,135	119,128
95+	5,440	26,498	31,938
Total	280,149	538,197	818,347

Africa

In Africa, they are running a test on HIV and, a connection to Dementia. HIV-associated dementia (HAD) is the most severe form of the HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), one of the most common sequelae of untreated HIV infection. Considered one of the most common causes of dementia among adults 40 and younger, HAD poses one of the greatest risks for mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH). The neuropsychological (NP) impairment associated with HAD affects the domains of motor functioning, attention/concentration, processing speed, executive functioning, and memory, and is thought to reflect subcortical-type dementia with disruption in the frontostriatal and mesial temporal pathways. This pattern of NP-impairment has been associated with poor functional outcomes, such as suboptimal ART adherence, difficulties returning to work, driving problems, disruptions in interpersonal relationships, impaired activities of daily living and vocational abilities. Known risk factors for HAD in high- and low-to-middle income countries include, lower CD4 count, older age, lower levels of education, depression, and alcohol and substance use. Resource-www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Diagnosed Dementia - Brain Scan

United-Kingdom

In March 2012, the Prime Minister set a challenge to deliver major improvements in dementia care and research by 2015. Three champion groups were set up to focus on the main areas for action: driving improvements in health and care, creating dementia-friendly communities and improving dementia research.

In 2015, this was followed by a second Challenge. This summarized the progress that had been made since 2012 and also contained a commitment to make England:

• the best country in the world for dementia care and support and for people with dementia, their carers and families to live; and
• the best place in the world to undertake research into dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The Challenge was followed by an Implementation Plan which contained detailed steps that the government and other national bodies would take to improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers. These fell into four key themes:

• Risk reduction
• Health and care
• Dementia awareness and social action
• Research

Alzheimer’s Society is working closely with other organizations to achieve these commitments. In doing so they have remained the leading country in delivering improvements for Dementia patients. Resource-http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Every country is working on their own cure for this disease that is drastically hitting are elderly community.  We are faced with a hardship of watching are family members, friends, loved ones suffer from this disease that's taking their memories of everything they loved away from them. I am thankful, we should all be thankful for the support these countries are contributing to the fight against Dementia and, hopefully someday there will be a cure or a way to prevent it from happening so drastically but until then we must continue to work together to find a way.

I want to personally thank you all for following me on this series. Today you all learned about what other countries are facing and, doing to try to help in the fight against Dementia. Before I go I have a question for you all about what we've been discussing so far this week on Dementia. If you suffered from Dementia what would you hope you'd be able to remember out of your whole lifetime? Would it be your kids? Your wedding day? Your own parents? Share with me your thoughts in the comment section. Zachery Ramos signing out from Traveling Activist, see you all Thursday for part 4 hope you all enjoyed. 

And always remember if you can dream it, you can achieve it as long as you put your heart into it...