Tribute to Coach Terry Holland contributing to Alzheimer’s Association

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - People in Charlottesville and beyond are remembering former Virginia men’s basketball head coach Terry Holland. Holland passed away after a battle with Alzheimer’s.

The Alzheimer’s Association says the stories of prominent figures in our community and the support they bring to Alzheimer’s care and awareness makes a huge difference. According to the association, over 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.

Brooke Gill with the Alzheimer’s Association says the disease affects the way you think, your memory, and some behaviors. She says the warning signs differ from the usual signs of aging.

“In general you’re going to start looking for things that are not normal for that person, so if they were a financial planner in their life and all of a sudden their bills are going unpaid, you might want to consider something going on there,” Gill said.

Gill says there are multiple risk factors associated with having some form of dementia.

“The greatest risk factor is your age so, 60+ is your greatest risk factor,” Gill said. “Women are twice as likely, the Latino community is twice more likely, and the Black community told us it is more likely for them as well.

The Holland family has created a donation page to help others suffering from Alzheimer’s.

“People like Coach Holland really help us get the word out there about this disease,” Gill said. “It reduces this attached stigma to this disease, and there are so many communities that still have that stigma attached, and it’s hurting people’s chances of getting diagnosed and diagnosed early.

If you would like to donate to the Alzheimer’s Association in Coach Holland’s name, a link is available here.

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