Why Family History Matters and Why Raising the Volume Saves Lives?
We routinely check our blood pressure and cholesterol, but when was the last time you checked in on your brain? Starting a conversation about brain health with your healthcare provider (e.g., doctor, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant) is one of the most powerful steps you can take to protect your future self.
There’s no reason to wait for symptoms related to changes in memory and thinking or fears that something worse might be happening. Early conversations with your healthcare provider (HCP) about brain health keep you informed and make it easier to stay well. If something does happen, you already have a medical professional who knows you and can help you with care and support more quickly.
That’s why it’s important to “raise the volume” when it comes to conversations about brain health. The earlier you speak up, the earlier you can get support. Raising the volume means choosing truth over fear, clarity over confusion, and preparation over crisis. Learn more about “raising the volume” here.
This guide will help you prepare for these conversations, whether you’re thinking about your own long-term brain health or about a loved one. You don’t need a concern to get started, just a desire to stay healthy.
Why Talk About Brain Health Before Symptoms Appear?
A family HCP is a trusted partner in your health. You probably already talk to them about your aches and pains, heart concerns, weight, and joints. You may have filled out forms in your physician’s office discussing diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, stroke, or other concerns that run in your family. Your health history helps your HCP create a plan to keep you healthy throughout your life.
Brain health deserves the same attention. Adding healthy aging to the conversation can help you stay sharp, know what’s “normal” for your age, and understand how to stay independent. There’s a difference between memory issues and normal aging. Talking to an HCP is one way to better understand what you’re experiencing.
That’s why we’re sharing this Brain Health Family History Tool. It will make it easier for friends, family, and caregivers to begin conversations about brain health, family history, and healthy aging.
Family History Can Close the Gap in Health Information
Family history is central to the conversation to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Black and Latino families experience Alzheimer’s at higher rates than White and Asian families and often receive delayed diagnoses that can impact receiving appropriate care. Capturing information early about family history can be helpful to close the gap with healthcare providers and identify the risk of memory loss and dementia.
For some people, variations of the APOE gene can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. For many others, the risk of dementia isn’t genetic. However, HCPs can better assess risk by understanding your family's disease history. Having a sibling or parent with dementia may raise your risk, as can having a family history of chronic illnesses like diabetes or hypertension.
Talking about your family history related to changes in memory and thinking does not decide your future. Instead, these conversations normalize paying attention to brain health for diagnosis, support, lifestyle recommendations, and long-term care.
Preparing to Talk with Your Healthcare Provider
Before your doctor’s appointment, think about what you want to share and why.
Many people hesitate to talk with their HCP when they start feeling more forgetful or confused. However, having these conversations before those symptoms appear can ease anxiety about changes in memory and brain health. Conversations about brain health can also help with other goals, such as improving sleep, reducing stress, or tackling isolation.
A preventative approach also helps you stay healthy and prepared if you need to step into a caregiving role or provide support for a loved one.
Getting Started
Getting the conversation started can be as simple as asking, “How can I keep my brain healthy as I age?”
From there, you might have a series of questions for your HCP, or they might want to ask you some questions. Our downloadable questionnaire can help you gather information ahead of time, so that you’re confident and prepared for your appointment.
For example, the HCP may ask you about:
- Family history of memory changes or brain health concerns.
- Current chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or mental health issues.
- Current medications that might impact concentration, memory, or mood.
- Your current health and lifestyle factors, like stress, sleep, and activity.
Sometimes, you might not be sure what to ask your HCP. Here are some questions to think about:
- What can I do now to protect my brain as I age?
- What tools can help me track my brain health over time?
- Is a memory assessment right for me?
- What in my history or habits impacts my risk of changes in memory and thinking?
- Anything I should stop doing? Start doing?
Raise the volume now so you can keep yourself fit for the future.
Figuring Out What to Share: A Printable Brain Health Family History Tool
Alz In Color has created this downloadable, printable guide to help you build a more complete personal and family history, including memory issues. Each section is designed to provide you with information and fill gaps in the forms your healthcare provider (e.g., doctor, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant) uses. This form can be used to start a family conversation, collect information before a doctor’s appointment, or as a tool to communicate to your HCP that a family history of Alzheimer’s is an essential component of the office visit, similar to cancer, diabetes, or cardiovascular concerns.
Topics include:
- Immediate Family: Share whether your parents, siblings, or children have experienced changes in memory and thinking, Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. Include approximate ages when symptoms began.
- Extended Family: Include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others, especially those who showed confusion, personality changes, or memory issues, even if they were never formally diagnosed.
- Neurologic and Mental Health History: Many conditions, such as Parkinson’s, mental health issues like depression, traumatic brain injury, or heart conditions such as stroke, can affect cognition across generations. List any that apply.
- Genetic Information: If anyone in the family has had genetic testing, write down what you know. Even limited information can help your HCP guide the next steps.
- Family Trends and Patterns: Did you notice something that might be overlooked elsewhere, such as changes in memory and thinking beginning before age 65 or multiple relatives experiencing cognitive changes? Do family members often change personalities when they get older?
- Your Concerns: This is your chance to raise the volume. Write what you want to address at the appointment, whether it’s personal risk, prevention, testing, or long-term planning.
Breaking the Stigma and Protecting Our Families
Stigma keeps families suffering in silence. But open, honest communication protects us. Brain health should be treated like any other part of the body. Learn about tips for a healthy brain here.
Changes in memory and thinking is not a personal failing or a sign of weakness. It is a medical condition deserving of care, compassion, and attention.
Raising the volume and having these discussions honors our friends, family members, and ourselves by taking brain health seriously. It reinforces our legacy of caring for one another. And it ensures that our families and communities receive the support they deserve.
Your voice matters. Your family history matters. And your HCP needs to hear both.
To learn more about caring for your brain health and explore related resources, visit us at www.alzincolor.com.
