During the month of November, the Alzheimer’s Association and other organizations work to spread the word about National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month.

This neurodegenerative health condition is a type of dementia that causes individuals problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It’s also the most common form of dementia and accounts for as many as 80 percent of total cases in the U.S.

While some memory loss or cognitive decline is a part of aging, Alzheimer’s is not. This health condition also worsens over time, and those with late-stage Alzheimer’s lose the ability to hold a conversation with another person and cannot respond to their surrounding environment.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s but those who have been diagnosed can turn to treatments. These medications and other types of therapies may help to slow down the worsening of dementia symptoms although it is impossible to stop the disease’s progression.

Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., and more than 5 million Americans are living with the condition. Caregivers provided more than 17.5 billion hours of unpaid care worth a total of $216 billion in 2012.

Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, your loved one may benefit from slowing down symptoms with help from senior care services.