Constance Guthrie, who is 74, sits in a hospital-style bed propped up by a pillow. Her daughter, Jessica Guthrie, stands next to the bed, smiling. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at age 66. About 14% of Black people in America over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s, compared with 10% of white people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disparity is likely even more, because many Black people aren’t correctly diagnosed.
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A lifetime of racism makes Alzheimer’s disease more common in Black Americans
Constance Guthrie is not dead yet, but her daughter has begun to plan her funeral.