Church on front line of Alzheimer's battle

JACKSONVILLE, N.C., Oct. 23 (UPI) -- An African-American church in North Carolina is leading an effort to fight off the onset of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline in the elderly.

The Rev. James Brown at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, N.C., has teamed with researchers from Duke Medical Center's Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center to fend off Alzheimer's, USA Today reported Thursday. Research suggests physical activity and mental engagement can reduce reduce cognitive decline in older people. Statistics show Alzheimer's is significantly higher among African-Americans.

The church is home to an organic garden and a freshwater fish farm and plays host to exercise, foreign-language and horse-therapy programs. Brown said the programs are designed for social and cognitive engagement.

"We want to work the feet, the fingers, the brain -- we want to get them thinking and gain a sense of well-being," he told the newspaper. "I see my mom in each one of those persons."