“Brain Health Starts at Home: A Personal Call to Action”

Shon Lowe’s narrative illustrates how one woman transformed a personal family crisis into an educational moment for everyone around her.

• Early Warning Signs
  Her mother, Terrie Montgomery, began repeatedly buying the same items and losing track of details—small signs that many households overlook.

• Cultural Context
  In Black communities, such hints are often swept under the rug. Families hope memory problems will fade or dismiss them as normal, sometimes with doctors downplaying concerns.

• Diagnosis
  Montgomery eventually received an early‑onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis after years of conflicting medical advice and fragmented care. The timing was too late to alter the disease’s course, but it ignited a new conversation for Lowe.

• Proactive Action
  At 51, Lowe asked her primary‑care doctor about an APOE‑4 genetic test—a marker linked to Alzheimer’s.
• The doctor dismissed her concerns as “too young.”
• A neurologist also refused to order the test, citing policy.
  Determined, Lowe paid for it herself and discovered she carried a genetic risk.

• Further Evaluation
  When her doctor suggested menopause as the cause of her brain fog, Lowe insisted on more testing.
  Neuroimaging and cognitive assessments confirmed early decline, giving her a critical window to act.

• Current Management
  Lowe now employs neurofeedback therapy and lifestyle changes—improved diet, exercise, and regular monitoring—to strengthen vulnerable brain areas.

• Systemic Issues
  Her experience underscores how the health system often addresses dementia only after it has progressed, leaving families with limited options. Early detection and proactive care can preserve independence and dignity.

• Impact on Black Families
  The stakes are higher: Black families face twice the risk of dementia yet encounter more barriers to clear information and tailored treatment. Lowe urges that memory changes should not be shrugged off as “normal aging.”

• Call to Action
  Open dialogue in homes, churches, and clinics can replace fear with preparedness. When families advocate together, they pave the way for earlier diagnoses, better care, and longer, fuller lives.

“Just because I have dementia doesn’t mean dementia has me,” her mother’s optimistic words remind us to start the conversation now, not later.