Walking alongside Central Florida families, AdventHealth continues the fight against Alzheimer’s

ORLANDO, Fla. — At AdventHealth in Central Florida, we stand alongside families facing dementia, offering expert care and steadfast support so no one has to face this journey alone.

For one AdventHealth team member, involvement in this care comes from a very personal place. Craig Brubaker, vice president of the AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute, recalls watching his mother pour her love and energy into caring for his grandmother as she battled Alzheimer’s disease. He’s serving as chair of Orlando’s Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

"Partnering with organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association allows us to extend whole-person care beyond our walls and deeper into the community."

“Watching my mother drive a long distance and care for my grandmother only to have her forget who she was, was a heartbreaking experience that you never want others to go through,” Brubaker says. “At AdventHealth, caring for people with Alzheimer’s goes far beyond medicine. Through our Neuroscience Institute, we’re committed to walking beside patients and families—offering expert care, community programs and support groups that bring hope and connection. Partnering with organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association allows us to extend whole person care beyond our walls and deeper into the community.”

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all cases. Dementia is a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Dr. Veleria Baldivieso, medical director at the AdventHealth Orlando Memory Disorder Clinic, shares Brubaker’s compassion and commitment to supporting those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Both she and Brubaker know Alzheimer’s not only in their professions, but also in their personal lives as family members who have watched loved ones face the disease.

Dr. Baldivieso urges the community to know that, “While occasional forgetfulness may come with age, Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging. It is a complex disease that affects more than memory—impacting language, judgment, mood and even mobility.” She believes that researching and understanding the disease are the most critical factors when caring for patients with Alzheimer’s. Through her work, she helps patients and their caregivers replace fear with knowledge by empowering them to recognize symptoms, ask questions and connect with resources that help them navigate potential roadblocks in aging.

To help Central Floridia residents better understand what’s true and what’s not, Dr. Baldivieso offers these myth-busting insights.

Alzheimer's: Myth vs. Fact

• Myth: Memory loss is just a normal part of aging.

Fact: While mild forgetfulness can happen with age, Alzheimer’s causes progressive and severe memory loss that interferes with daily life and is not a normal part of aging. It’s a medical condition — and recognizing the difference early can make a real difference in quality of life.

• Myth: Alzheimer’s only affects older people.

Fact: Most cases occur after age 65, but younger onset Alzheimer’s can appear as early as someone’s 40s or 50s.

• Myth: There’s nothing you can do to lower your risk.

Fact: Healthy lifestyle choices—like staying physically active, managing blood pressure, engaging socially and keeping your brain stimulated—can help reduce risk and support brain health.

As the number of people living with Alzheimer’s continues to rise, so does the need for awareness and community connection. More than 7.2 million Americans age 65 and older currently live with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, that number may nearly double. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly 12 million Americans provide unpaid care for a family member or friend with dementia, a contribution to the nation valued at more than $413 billion.

Amid the weight of these statistics, AdventHealth is determined to provide further healing and support across Central Florida. For Brubaker and Dr. Baldivieso, educating the community and participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s are about more than raising funds—it’s about bearing witness and partnering with local organizations to ensure the community understands that they are not alone.

Through the development of innovative therapies and exploration of early detection methods for Alzheimer’s disease, AdventHealth continuously pursues new approaches in understanding how the brain heals and adapts. Beyond research, AdventHealth also extends that same commitment to care into the community through specialized programs, clinics and support initiatives designed to uplift patients and families across Central Florida. To learn more about clinical care and programs, please visit Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia | AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute.