“This June, like every other, is filled with talk of graduations, the scent of bar-b-q, and Fathers’ Day sales. But amidst all the hype, we need to remember that June is also Men’s Health Month – a vital, often overlooked, opportunity to shine a spotlight on the unique health challenges and preventative care needs of men. More than that, it’s a critical time to urge men to prioritize their health and encourage their loved ones to support them in doing so.

Many men, thanks to societal expectations, lack of awareness, or both, are about half as likely as women to have a regular healthcare provider, less likely to have regular screenings, and are far more likely to delay seeking medical attention until symptoms become unbearable. As a result, men are often diagnosed when their medical issue has already become advanced and may not be able to be treated at all (this appears to be the case in Joe Biden’s recent diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer). Understanding the health concerns for men is the first step toward proactive health management and longer, healthier lives.”

Healthy Men Inc (Men’s Health Month: Why It Matters More Than Ever – Healthy Men)

Men in this age range are encouraged to discuss the health concerns below with their doctors. These discussions can be part of a yearly annual wellness visit. While you may think you don’t need some of these tests, establishing a base line can be useful for continued health monitoring as you age, or as more acute health concerns arise.

• Physical exam: check blood pressure, screen for obesity and assess body composition (waist circumference). Testicular exam and testicular self-exam are important at this age.
• Metabolic screening: fasting blood sugar and fasting lipid profile based on risk and family history.
• Vaccines: influenza, COVID-19, Hepatitis A/B, HPV, Tdap and MMR should be considered.
• STI screening: HIV, Hepatitis B/C, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia screening should be considered, and pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PreP) should be discussed.
• Assessment of risky behaviors: discuss any use of tobacco, alcohol, recreational drugs, anabolic steroids, as well as use of seatbelts and helmets and gun safety.
• Family planning: “pre-conception” counseling to educate men that adopting a healthy lifestyle—exercising, eating healthy foods, and avoiding substances—at an early age improves the chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child.

Recommended screenings for adult men over 40

These screenings are similar to those recommended for younger men but start to look at health concerns that most often appear in middle age.

• Physical exam: check blood pressure, screen for obesity, measure body composition and consider prostate exam (in some cases).
• Metabolic screening: fasting blood sugar and fasting lipid profile and estimation of cardiovascular risk.
• Vaccines: influenza, covid-19, Hepatitis A/B, HPV (through age 45), Tdap and MMR. Shingles vaccine is recommended for adults over 50.
• STI screening: HIV, Hepatitis B/C, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia screening should be considered, and pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PreP) should be discussed.
• Cardiovascular screening: based on risk and symptoms (may include stress testing or coronary artery calcium score).
• Cancer screening: based on family history and personal risks. May include prostate, colon and lung cancer screening as well as skin exam.
• Eye exam.
• GI screening if you haven’t already started.

Recommended screenings for adult men over 65

Older men should continue to evaluate their health and make lifestyle changes based on conversations with their doctors to ensure they are able to live life to the fullest.

• Physical exam: blood pressure, height and weight, waist circumference and prostate exam.
• Metabolic screening: fasting blood sugar, fasting lipid profile, thyroid function (in some cases).
• Vaccines: influenza, covid-19, Hepatitis A/B, Tdap, Pneumovax/Prevnar and Shingles.
• STI screening: based on risk.
• Cardiovascular screening: abdominal ultrasound, coronary artery calcium score and stress testing based on risk and symptoms.
• Cancer screening: prostate, colon and lung as well as skin exam.
• Osteoporosis: screening should be considered in men over 70, men who lose height over time or have a low impact fracture. Fall risk assessment should be completed.
• Eye exam.

Mental health is an important determinant of overall health and quality of life at every age. Although men are more likely to suffer “deaths of despair” including alcoholism, overdose and suicide, they are far less likely than women to seek out mental health services. Undiagnosed and untreated mood disorders in young men are associated with impaired learning, risk-taking behaviors, use of substances and violence. Adult men with chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease have worse outcomes when they also suffer from depression, and depression is associated with decreased longevity in older men.  Men are less likely to get treated than a women in screening or when signs or symptoms arise until they get in the way or regarding mental health do men make a move and help yourself since no one may do it for you.  Help yourself its June make a change for the best in your health!

“Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting millions worldwide.  In the U.S., over 7 million people aged 65 and older currently live with Alzheimer’s, and this number is projected to nearly double by 2050.   Globally, more than 55 million people live with dementia, with Alzheimer’s accounting for 60–80% of cases.  Women represent approximately two-thirds of U.S. Alzheimer’s patients, reflecting longer lifespans and genetic factors.  Dementia prevalence doubles every five years after age 65, affecting one in three by age 85.”

revivalresearch.org (Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month 2025: Facts and Support)

Key Early Signs & Symptoms of Alzheimer’s:

Memory Loss That Disrupts Daily Life:

One of the most common early signs is forgetting recently learned information, important dates, or events, and repeatedly asking the same questions. Individuals may increasingly rely on reminder notes, electronic devices, or family members for tasks they previously managed independently, which goes beyond typical age-related forgetfulness.

Challenges in Planning or Solving Problems:

People may struggle to develop or follow plans, work with numbers, or complete tasks like following a familiar recipe or managing monthly bills. Concentration difficulties and taking longer to complete tasks are also common.

Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks:

Everyday activities, such as driving to familiar locations, organizing a grocery list, or remembering game rules, may become challenging. This is more pronounced than occasional age-related forgetfulness.

Confusion with Time or Place:

Individuals may lose track of dates, seasons, or the passage of time, and may have trouble understanding events that are not happening immediately. They may also forget where they are or how they arrived at a location.                                                                                                                                                                      Trouble Understanding Visual Images and Spatial Relationships:

Difficulty judging distances, reading, or interpreting visual cues can appear early, affecting tasks like driving or navigating familiar environments.

Problems with Words in Speaking or Writing:

Early Alzheimer’s can cause difficulty finding the right words, repeating phrases, or struggling to follow or join conversations.

Misplacing Things and Poor Judgment:

Items may be placed in unusual locations, and individuals may be unable to retrace steps. Decision-making and judgment, such as handling finances or social interactions, may decline.

Withdrawal and Mood Changes:

People may withdraw from work, social activities, or hobby.

Key Late Signs & Symptoms of Alzheimer’s:

In the late stage of Alzheimer’s, individuals experience severe cognitive decline, loss of independence, and significant physical and communication difficulties, requiring around-the-clock care.

Cognitive and Memory Changes:

In late-stage Alzheimer’s, memory loss becomes profound, and individuals may no longer recognize family members, familiar people, or even themselves in a mirror .  They often lose awareness of recent experiences and may believe they are living in a past time, searching for people or events from earlier in life.  Cognitive abilities such as reasoning, judgment, and understanding of surroundings are severely impaired

Communication Difficulties:

People in this stage may gradually lose the ability to speak, often repeating a few words or phrases, or crying out intermittently. Understanding verbal communication becomes limited, making nonverbal cues like facial expressions, gestures, and touch essential for interaction Despite severe memory loss, they may still respond to stimuli such as music, scents, or gentle touch, which can provide comfort

Physical and Functional Decline:

Late-stage Alzheimer’s involves significant physical deterioration. Individuals may have difficulty walking, sitting, or eventually swallowing They often become inactive for long periods, remaining still with eyes open but not engaging in activities.  Loss of motor control and coordination increases vulnerability to falls and infections, particularly pneumonia

Behavioral and Personality Changes:

Personality changes are common, and individuals may exhibit impulsivity, agitation, or emotional fluctuations. They may also experience hallucinations, delusions, or paranoia as the disease progresses. Emotional responses can still be present, even when verbal communication is lost

Care Needs:

People in the late stage of Alzheimer’s require extensive, around-the-clock assistance with daily personal care, including eating, bathing, dressing, and toileting. Hospice or palliative care may be recommended to provide comfort, dignity, and support for both the individual and their family. Gentle engagement, such as listening to music or hand massages, can help maintain a sense of connection and well-being.
Understanding these symptoms can help caregivers prepare for the challenges of late-stage Alzheimer’s and ensure that individuals receive compassionate, appropriate care.

“This June during Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, the Alzheimer’s Association® is encouraging all Americans to take charge of their brain health.

Today, there are nearly 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s. The lifetime risk for the disease at age 45 is 1 in 5 for women and 1 in 10 for men. The brain changes that cause Alzheimer’s are thought to begin 20 years or more before symptoms start, which suggests that there may be a substantial window of time in which we can intervene in the progression of the disease.

Experts believe there isn’t a single cause of Alzheimer’s. It’s likely the disease develops as a result of multiple factors. While not a direct cause of Alzheimer’s, the greatest known risk factor is advancing age.”

State Nurses Association (June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month)

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia; accounting
for an estimated 60% to 80% of cases. This progressive brain disease develops slowly but has a huge impact on those who are living with it, their families, and caregivers.

Most individuals also have the brain changes of one or more other types of
dementia. This is called mixed pathology, and if recognized during life is called mixed dementia.

The number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease is growing. The ripple effect is straining families, communities, and the healthcare system, yet talking about the disease on a personal level can be difficult.

FACTS on Alzheimer’s Disease:

“STATISTICS ON APHASIA:

• Estimated Cases: More than 2 million people in the United States are living with aphasia, making it more common than conditions like Parkinson’s disease and cerebral palsy
• Annual Incidence: Approximately 180,000 individuals acquire aphasia each year, most often as a result of a stroke.
• Public Awareness: Only 40% of people in the U.S. are aware of aphasia and can correctly identify it as a language disorder that impairs communication abilities.
• Post-Stroke Effects: Stroke survivors with aphasia experience a higher incidence of post-stroke depression compared to those without aphasia, highlighting the emotional and psychological challenges associated with the condition.”

National Aphasia Association (How common is aphasia? – National Aphasia Association)

“Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate—but not their intelligence. It can occur suddenly, often after stroke or brain injury, or develop gradually, as in the case of Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA).

While every journey with aphasia is unique, early support and ongoing connection can make a powerful difference. This site is your starting point for trusted information, practical tools, and a vibrant community of support.

Explore the many ways people with aphasia—and those who care about them—navigate communication, expression, and life.

What is aphasia?

Aphasia is a disorder that results from damage to portions of the brain that are responsible for language. For most people, these areas are on the left side of the brain. Aphasia usually occurs suddenly, often following a stroke or head injury, but it may also develop slowly, as the result of a brain tumor or a progressive neurological disease. The disorder impairs the expression and understanding of language as well as reading and writing. Aphasia may co-occur with speech disorders, such as dysarthria or apraxia of speech, which also result from brain damage.

Who can acquire aphasia?

Most people who have aphasia are middle-aged or older, but anyone can acquire it, including young children. About 1 million people in the United States currently have aphasia, and nearly 180,000 Americans acquire it each year, according to the National Aphasia Association.

What causes aphasia?

Aphasia is caused by damage to one or more of the language areas of the brain. Most often, the cause of the brain injury is a stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood clot or a leaking or burst vessel cuts off blood flow to part of the brain. Brain cells die when they do not receive their normal supply of blood, which carries oxygen and important nutrients. Other causes of brain injury are severe blows to the head, brain tumors, gunshot wounds, brain infections, and progressive neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

What types of aphasia are there?

There are two broad categories of aphasia: 1-fluent and 2-nonfluent, but know there are several types within these groups.  So the 2 main groups of aphasia are as follows:

1- Fluent aphasia

There is damage to the posterior temporal lobe of the brain.

This may result in Wernicke’s aphasia (see figure above), the most common type of fluent aphasia. People with Wernicke’s aphasia may speak in long, complete sentences that have no meaning, adding unnecessary words and even creating made-up words.

For example, someone with Wernicke’s aphasia may say, “You know that smoodle pinkered and that I want to get him round and take care of him like you want before.”

As a result, it is often difficult to follow what the person is trying to say. People with Wernicke’s aphasia are often unaware of their spoken mistakes. Another hallmark of this type of aphasia is difficulty understanding speech.

2- Nonfluent aphasia

The most common type of nonfluent aphasia is Broca’s aphasia (see figure above).

People with Broca’s aphasia have damage that primarily affects the frontal lobe of the brain.  Damage to a discrete part of the brain in the left frontal lobe (Broca’s area) of the language-dominant hemisphere has been shown to significantly affect the use of spontaneous speech and motor speech control. Words may be uttered very slowly and poorly articulated.

They often have right-sided weakness or paralysis of the arm and leg because the frontal lobe is also important for motor movements. People with Broca’s aphasia may understand speech and know what they want to say, but they frequently speak in short phrases that are produced with great effort. They often omit small words, such as “is,” “and” and “the.”

For example, a person with Broca’s aphasia may say, “Walk dog,” meaning, “I will take the dog for a walk,” or “book book two table,” for “There are two books on the table.” People with Broca’s aphasia typically understand the speech of others fairly well. Because of this, they are often aware of their difficulties and can become easily frustrated.

OTHER TYPES OF APHASIA:

– Global aphasia, results from damage to extensive portions of the language areas of the brain. Individuals with global aphasia have severe communication difficulties and may be extremely limited in their ability to speak or comprehend language.  Damage to the language processing centers in the left hemisphere of your brain, including Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas, can cause global aphasia. These two areas are critical for the production and understanding of language.

This is the most severe form of aphasia. It usually involves the following features.

• Loss of fluency. People with global aphasia struggle with the physical act of speaking. People with the most severe forms of this might only make small or isolated sounds, or they might not make any sounds at all (mutism). They also may repeat words or simple phrases over and over (this is a problem with fluency, as they’ll still have trouble repeating back words or phrases you say to them).
• Problems with understanding. People with this struggle to understand what others are saying. They might understand very simple sentences, but the more complex the sentence or phrase, the harder it is to understand.
• Struggle with repetition. Global aphasia affects repetition, meaning a person with it might struggle to repeat back words or phrases you say to them.
• Other symptoms: This kind of aphasia happens with conditions that cause severe brain damage, such as major strokes or head injuries. The damage is usually severe and affects multiple parts of the brain, causing other serious symptoms like one-sided paralysis, blindness and more.

Other forms of aphasia

• Transcortical motor aphasia: This is similar to Broca’s aphasia but usually not as severe. A key difference is that people with this don’t have a problem repeating back phrases or sentences you say to them.
• Transcortical sensory aphasia: This type is similar to Wernicke’s aphasia but usually not as severe. Like with transcortical motor aphasia above, people with this type don’t have a problem repeating back what you say. This type of aphasia is common with degenerative brain conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
• Conduction aphasia: This type of aphasia affects fluency but not understanding. People with this struggle to pronounce words, especially when trying to repeat something you say to them.
• Mixed transcortical aphasia: This aphasia is like global aphasia, except that people with this can still repeat what people say to them.
• Anomic aphasia: People with this kind of aphasia struggle to find words, especially names of objects or words that describe actions. To get around this problem, they often use several words to explain what they mean or non-specific words like “thing” instead.