Condition Spotlight
An estimated 6.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2021. Seventy-two percent are age 75 or older.
- One in nine people age 65 and older (11.3%) has Alzheimer’s dementia.
- Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women.
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s dementia yet. There are various ways to help a person with AD. Research has shown that physical exercise helps to enhance brain health and improves mood and general fitness. A balanced diet, enough sleep, and limited alcohol intake are other important ways to promote good brain health. Other illnesses that affect the brain, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, should also be treated if present.
Eighty-three percent of the help provided to older adults in the United States comes from family members, friends or other unpaid caregivers. Not only do we provide information to help those suffering from Alzheimer’s but we also provide information to help support caregivers.
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Nearly 11% of adults over 65 have Alzheimer’s disease. This year alone, over 11 million Americans have dedicated nearly 18 billion hours to unpaid care for loved ones with dementia. If you’re in this caregiving Read More
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Dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the month of September serves as a time to raise awareness and pay mind to the many complex layers of AD. The 2023 World Alzheimer’s Month theme of “Never too Read More
Among adults who entered a study more than 25 years ago, an increasing number of midlife vascular risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking, were associated with elevated levels Read More
If you have had the unfortunate experience of having a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you know the sadness of slowly watching that person lose their memories and cognitive abilities. According to the CDC, Read More
Tests that measure the sense of smell may soon become common in neurologists’ offices. Scientists have been finding increasing evidence that the sense of smell declines sharply in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, and now Read More
Alzheimer’s is a heart-wrenching disease that directly affects millions of people worldwide. There is no cure, let alone treatment to stop progression of the disease. While current answers are few, research at the University of Read More
If you notice any of the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s in yourself or someone you know, don’t ignore them. Early detection makes a world of difference, and so does the way you approach the Read More
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.
Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. It accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases.
Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging. The greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with the disease are 65 and older. But it is not just a disease of old age. Approximately 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 have younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease (also known as early-onset Alzheimer’s).
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, that gets worse over time where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. It is is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. On average, a person with Alzheimer’s lives four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.
While there is no cure for the disease or a way to stop or slow its progression, there are drug and non-drug options that may help treat symptoms. Understanding available options can help individuals living with the disease and their caregivers to cope with symptoms and improve quality of life.
Effective communication with your doctor is important when you are seeking a diagnosis for memory loss. Ask questions, be prepared to answer questions and be as honest as possible.
