Recovering from a life-altering stroke can be a long and arduous journey when an irascible demeanor and a litany of frustrations prolong a patient's return to normalcy. Stroke is the leading cause of death in the United States and a major cause of serious disability for adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are over 53 million caregivers in the United States, possibly closer to 60 million. These caregivers are of all ages—nearly half are millennials or younger—and the people they care for come in all varieties. In spite of this, caregivers, and those they care for, are something of an invisible group. They are subjected to stereotypes of what a caregiver is, or who receives care, and they often feel alone. For these reasons, it’s important that caregivers also take care of themselves.

AARP Washington, BECU, and KING 5 hosted a free event to celebrate and support those who provide care for others at Town Hall Seattle. MSNBC news anchor, filmmaker and author Richard Lui cared for his father with Alzheimers over the last decade and he's become a passionate advocate for family caregivers. Dr. Kate Zhong, geriatric psychiatrist and founder of the Brainnovation Initiative at UNLV gave practical advice and info on the latest in brain research. KING 5 Evening host Jim Dever moderated the discussion.

New Cleveland Clinic-led research points to sildenafil (Viagra) as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The study provides evidence from computational models, insurance claims data and observations from brain cells in Alzheimer’s patients. Sildenafil is the main component of drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction (Viagra) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (Revatio).

As the population ages and the demands of caregiving increase, discussions about caregiver wellness and brain health are gaining momentum nationwide. Approximately 38 million individuals across the country undertake the vital role of family caregivers, providing support for parents, spouses, adult children with disabilities, and other loved ones. Yet, the emotional and physical strains of caregiving cannot be understated.

Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones have a renewed sense of hope now that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved the first Alzheimer’s drug in nearly two decades.