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The Alzheimer's Association released its annual report "2008 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures" on March 19th projecting that about one of every eight American baby boomers are likely to develop Alzheimer's or another form of dementia within the coming years. Alzheimer's disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and the fifth leading cause of death for those over the age of 65.
With a U.S. population of 79 million baby boomers, the projection is that by 2010, Alaska and Colorado will have 47 percent more cases than in 2000, the largest increase among states, with Wyoming closely following with 43 percent more cases. It is expected that 7.7 million people will have Alzheimer's by 2030, which is a 48 percent increase from 2008.
Women are almost twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimer's, with one in six over the age of 55 expected to develop Alzheimer's disease compared to one in ten men. This is due to the longer life expectancy of women, which gives the disease more time to develop.
Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, manifests in the loss of intellectual and social abilities to the extent that daily functioning is impaired. Dementia, as a whole, occurs due to the degeneration of healthy brain tissue, which causes a continual decline of memory and mental abilities.
According to the National Institute on Aging, the first symptom of Alzheimer's is usually mild forgetfulness. The condition progresses and patients forget how to practice general hygiene, dress themselves, and can progress to the point of not being able to recognize once-familiar people. Easily confused and agitated, people with severe dementia eventually require continuous care.
The report revealed that 5.2 million people now have the disease and that as many as 500,000 Americans are diagnosed before reaching the age of 65. According to the Alzheimer's Association, 70 percent of people with Alzheimer's as well as other dementias live at home. Family members share the burden of care for victims of the disease, which can take more than 10 years to destroy the mind.
Stephen McConnell, the Alzheimer's Association vice president of public policy, says age is the single biggest risk factor for the disease and that the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's doubles every five years after age 65. The oldest baby boomers will be reaching age 62 this year, which places them at a high risk for developing the disease.
"What we're faced with here is the boomer population coming of age," said Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center on Aging. "There are going to be a lot more people at risk."
Dementia patients cost Medicare about triple the cost of other patients, which was an average cost of $13,207 per patient in 2000. In 2005, Medicare spent $91 billion on dementias and spending could increase to $160 billion by 2010 and $189 billion by 2015. There is still no cure for Alzheimer's disease, although there has been promising research in the past several years.
Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, stated, "Unchecked, this disease will impose staggering consequences on families, the economy and the nation's health and long-term care infrastructure." Caring for a person with Alzheimer's takes an emotional toll on family caregivers, and even with over 10 million Americans providing care to family members with the disease, most people with Alzheimer's end up in a nursing home or assisted living facility.
McConnell said the U.S. government has cut spending on Alzheimer's research. "Right now the government is spending about $640 million a year on Alzheimer's research. It seems like a lot, but we are spending over $5 billion a year on cancer, and more than $3 billion on heart disease each year. If we can just get that $640 million up to $1 billion a year, that would make a big difference."
In defense of additional funding for Alzheimer's, Johns stated, "We have the opportunity to change the trajectory of this disease now. Today's scientific landscape is rich with possible disease-modifying treatments, but the shrinking investment in Alzheimer research threatens these breakthroughs. There is real hope for a better future where Alzheimer's is no longer a death sentence but how fast we get there depends on how much we are willing to invest today."
