8 Facts About Alzheimer’s Disease
The most common form of dementia among older people in the U.S. is Alzheimer’s disease. Although prevalent, there still remains some confusion related to the disease. Recently, the Alzheimer’s Association released some current facts and figures to clear up several common misconceptions.
- An estimated 5.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease.
- Nearly two-thirds of seniors with this disease are women, primarily due to the fact that women live longer than men.
- Alzheimer’s is a slow acting condition, involving parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. Symptoms may begin as mild forgetfulness and confusion, but individuals will eventually need total care.
- Due to the difficulty in detecting the early stages of Alzheimer’s, millions of Americans with the disease may not be aware that they have it.
- While there may be as many as 15 million family members or caregivers that provide support and care for individuals with Alzheimer’s, there are an estimated 800,000 seniors with the disease that live alone.
- In 2017, a staggering $259 billion will be spent on the cost of health and long term care services for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
- Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S., behind conditions such as heart disease, cancer and stroke.
- The current rate that Alzheimer’s occurs in the U.S. (every 66 seconds) is projected to double by 2050 because of the growing population of people over the age of 65.
Alzheimer’s may be an uncomfortable subject for seniors and family members to discuss, but if you or someone you know may be suffering from this disease, talking to a doctor to get a professional opinion will help give peace of mind. And if it comes time for more assistance, there are many available memory care facilities, including Friendship Haven, which will be opening a brand-new memory care building in May 2017 with industry-leading amenities and years of quality caregiving experience.
Information within this blog was sourced from Alzheimer’s Association & A Place for Mom