As more Baby Boomers approach or exceed age 65, they are at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, since age is the greatest known risk factor for developing dementia.

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and serves as a critical reminder that more than 6.7 million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and one of the deadliest diseases in the U.S. today. This devastating disease has no cure and is also on the rise: the number of people living with the disease is projected to nearly double to 14 million by 2060.

Fortunately, there are steps people of all ages can take to reduce their risk of developing dementia, efforts that can help delay or even prevent the potential onset of this deadly disease.

• Get Regular Exercise: Recent research has shown that regular, moderate physical exercise may reduce the risk for developing Alzheimer’s and slow cognitive decline. Physical activity also has many other important health benefits that address the key risk factors for dementia, such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and physical inactivity.

• Cultivate healthy lifestyle behaviors: In addition to exercise, cultivating other healthy lifestyle behaviors and habits, such as eating a healthy diet, taking steps to maintain healthy blood pressure levels, managing or working to prevent type 2 diabetes and maintaining a healthy weight may all contribute to better brain and overall health.

• Get treatment for hearing loss: Hearing loss is one of the main risk factors for dementia, and it can contribute to cognitive decline. Be sure to have a professional check your hearing to detect, manage or treat hearing loss early.

• Spend time with others: Spending time regularly with friends or family and being active in the community are all important ways older adults can maintain social connections and avoid becoming socially isolated, which is associated with a 50% increased risk of dementia.

• Sleep on it: Sleep is essential for brain maintenance, and not getting enough sleep can impair memory and cognitive functioning. Nearly 35 percent of adults get less than the recommended seven or eight hours per night. Practicing good sleep habits, like avoiding caffeine before bed, turning off devices, and keeping regular bedtime and waking routines can all help you enjoy better sleep.

In addition to these five steps, it is important to have a memory screening done each year starting at age 65. Taking this step means creating a record that can help your health care provider track your cognitive and brain health over time. This record helps them to catch or diagnose memory disorders early on. Memory screenings can be performed during your Annual Wellness Visit.