Alzheimer's Facts

Currently there are 5.3 million people in this country suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60 - 80% of cases.
In Alzheimer's disease, as in other types of dementia, increasing numbers of nerve cells deteriorate and die.
Alzheimer's is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and the fifth leading cause of death for those 65 years and older.
Alzheimer's costs families untold emotional anguish and suffering.
It costs the U.S. economy $172 billion each year.
It requires 10.9 million unpaid caregivers each year.
Unless something is done, by 2050, up to 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer's, and a new case will be diagnosed every 33 seconds.
Experts agree that this surge will threaten to completely overwhelm Medicare and our entire health care system.
With a rapidly aging baby boomer population, Alzheimer's will continue to impact more lives.
From 2000-2006, Alzheimer's disease deaths increased 46.1 percent, while other selected causes of death decreased.
In Texas alone, 4,887 people died from Alzheimer's disease in 2006.
In advanced Alzheimer's, people need help with bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, eating and other daily activities. Those in the final stages of the disease lose their ability to communicate, fail to recognize loved ones and become bed-bound and reliant on 24/7 care.
The greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease is advancing age, but Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging.
No treatment is available to slow or stop the deterioration of brain cells in Alzheimer's disease.
A growing body of evidence suggests that the health of the brain - one of the body's most highly vascular organs - is closely linked to the overall health of the heart and blood vessels. Some data indicate that management of cardiovascular risk factors, such as high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity and physical inactivity may help avoid or delay cognitive decline.
More women than men have dementia, primarily because women live longer, on average, than men.
In 2000, there were an estimated 411,000 new (incident) cases of Alzheimer's disease. For 2010, that number is projected to be 454,000 new cases; by 2030, 615,000; and by 2050, 959,000.
In 2011, the first baby boomers will reach their 65th birthdays. By 2029, all baby boomers will be at least 65 years old. This group, totaling an estimated 70 million people aged 65 and older, will have a significant impact on the U.S. healthcare system.
An estimated 3.5 million additional formally trained healthcare providers will be needed by 2030 - more than a one-third increase in the current ratio of providers to the total population - just to maintain current levels of staffing.
The vast majority of healthcare workers who provide the bulk of services to the elderly do not have training in geriatrics. Currently, less than 1 percent of physician assistants specialize in geriatrics. A similar percentage of pharmacists and registered nurses are certified in geriatrics. It's estimated that only about 4 percent of social workers - 33 percent of what's needed - specialize in geriatrics.