The Sept. 18 edition of the Fridays with Larry podcast marks World Alzheimer’s Day with a conversation about what the disease looks like day to day — and who carries the weight of it.

World Alzheimer’s Day falls Monday, Sept. 21. Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease that affects memory and thinking and, eventually, the ability to manage everyday life. It is the most common form of dementia, and it is not a normal part of aging. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates 7.4 million Americans 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia this year. In Indiana, the association counts more than 121,000 people with the disease and more than 221,000 friends and family members providing unpaid care.

This week’s guest is Joe Kohler, director of operations for Griswold of North Suburban Indianapolis, which serves Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, Westfield and neighboring communities. Kohler says dementia accounts for roughly 80% of his clients. He describes the signs that go beyond ordinary forgetfulness — a stove left on, a withdrawal from family and social events, the same question asked again and again.

Much of the conversation is about the families. Kohler says the first call usually comes from a son or daughter asking for respite — a few hours or a day of relief from what is otherwise a 24/7 job. He talks about why families wait too long to ask for help, and what private-pay home care costs when there is no long-term care insurance, generally $28 to $36 an hour depending on need.

We also discuss where treatment stands. Drugs such as Leqembi and Kisunla can slow decline in some people in the early stages, and last year the FDA cleared the first blood test to help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s in people showing symptoms. Those are reasons for hope. More than a century after the disease was first described, there is still no cure.

The episode closes with a commentary on Canada. I spent several weeks there in the 1980s and came home with an affection for the country that has lasted. I think about Gander, Newfoundland, where residents took in thousands of stranded air passengers on Sept. 11, 2001. Twenty-five years later, amid tariffs and a hardening trade dispute, that kindness is worth remembering.

Fridays with Larry is sponsored by Citizens State Bank, with a Fishers branch inside the Thomas A. Weaver Municipal Complex.

Watch the video version here or just listen using this link.