GRAND ISLAND, NY (WKBW) – Nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s and the number is expected to increase by 2050, according to Alzheimer’s Association.

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and 7 News caught up with Grand Island couple Tom and Michele Drabik who shared their experience with the disease.

The two have been married for 40 years, but in July 2021, their world changed.

Tom was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that affects memory and thinking skills and can increase the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Tom told me he had a tremor in his hand, which prompted him to make an appointment with a neurologist.

His wife, Michele, is now his caretaker. Since his diagnosis, she told me, they’ve gone to support groups like the Early Stages Social Engagement Program.

“A lot of them share similar stories, similar experiences, and they can just find time to relate to each other and have that space, that time that’s just for them and to decompress and be with other people,” Alzheimer’s Association Western New York Chapter. Outreach Program Director Amara May said.

May said the local chapter offers more than 30 support groups across virtual, in-person and hybrid platforms.

It’s also great for caregivers like Michele.

The Drabiks stressed the importance of getting checked as soon as you see what could be the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Kinga Szigeti is the director of the University at Buffalo Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Center. She helped start the center from the ground up.

She said early diagnosis can change your outcome.

“We know the brain can’t get better once you start having these diseases, but there are lots of opportunities to slow the progression and keep people as good as they are. “We have a clinical trial program where we test new drugs. Part of the clinical trial led to the approval of Kisunla, the new drug for Alzheimer’s disease.”

If you’re having trouble, you can talk to someone through the 24/7 Helpline at (800) 272-3900 or talk to the WNY Alzheimer’s Association website.