County Leaders Join Effort to Raise Awareness for Alzheimers and Caregivers in November 

 

For Immediate Release:  October 31, 2025

 

 

Smithfield, NC – The Johnston County Board of Commissioners has proclaimed November as Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness and Caregivers Month. A progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, Alzheimer’s causes loss of memory, thinking, judgment and reasoning. It also affects behavior, emotions and the ability to care for oneself.

Its impact is staggering: Alzheimer’s is the seventh leading cause of death in North Carolina and in Johnston County. One in three older adults dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, and more than half of all Americans know someone who has or had the disease.

Across the nation, more than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, including more than 210,000 North Carolinians. The disease affects more than its victims. Nearly 12 million family members and friends serve as unpaid caregivers across the country. In North Carolina, that number is about 381,000.The financial toll is heavy too. The cost of caring for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is expected to reach $360 billion in 2025. By 2050, the cost could climb to nearly $1 trillion.

Alzheimer’s has no cure. But with early detection and diagnosis, individuals and families can access treatment medications, join research trials and take part in planning for the future.

Commissioners adopt the proclamation each year at the request of Registrar of Deeds Craig Olive, who lost one sister to the disease and has another suffering from it. “So it’s very dear to my heart,” he told commissioners at their meeting on Oct. 20. Commissioner Ted Godwin empathized with Olive. “To say my mom suffered from this is a misnomer because all of us did,” he said. “That’s the nature of this terrible disease.” Commissioners were unanimous in adopting the proclamation.

“I appreciate all the family members and friends who are also caregivers,” said Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis, “because it affects everybody.” Olive thanked commissioners for putting the spotlight on Alzheimer’s.“To everyone, whether a caregiver or a victim of this dreadful disease, you are not alone in this journey,” he added in a statement. “I truly hope for a cure in the future.”

 

In photo, from Left to Right:
Johnston County Board of Commissioners Chairman Butch Lawter, Johnston County Registrar of Deeds Craig Olive