Healthy Brain Aging: "Live Well. Think Well."

The "Live Well. Think Well." community outreach program was created to educate African-Americans about healthy brain aging and memory disorders. It is offered through Mayo's Memory Disorder Clinic.

Floyd Willis, M.D., at a "Live Well. Think Well." Presentation.

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African-Americans may be at especially high risk for Alzheimer's disease because they have a higher incidence of some medical conditions associated with dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Association. In addition, the number of African-Americans over age 65 in the United States is expected to more than double in the next 20 years.

Program creator Floyd Willis, M.D., a family practice physician at Mayo Clinic's Florida campus, recognized the importance of understanding how Alzheimer's disease and related ailments affect the African-American population. This program provides information to African-American seniors and their families about memory disorders and brain aging, including tips on how to keep the mind healthy.

"Our goal is to present 'Live Well. Think Well.' to as many people as possible," says Dr. Willis. "By raising awareness among African-Americans in Jacksonville, we can reduce the onset of early memory loss (dementia) and Alzheimer's disease."

Some of Jacksonville's most prominent seniors, including the Rev. Rudolph W. McKissick Sr., senior pastor of Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, and Wendell P. Holmes, the first African-American elected to the Duval County School Board, serve as advisory committee members in support of this initiative.

For information about the "Live Well. Think Well." program, call (904) 953-2677.