CONTACT
Barb Tyler, Office of Communications, (531) 530-7484,
barb.tyler@nebraska.gov
Lincoln – Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month is observed in June and offers an opportunity to discuss Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Throughout the month, the Alzheimer's Association encourages people around the world to support the movement by wearing purple and learning how to fight the disease. This month of awareness promotes talking to those affected and encouraging more research to find a cure.
Awareness and recognition are key to increasing the diagnosis of dementia as well as better understanding and management of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting 6.2 million U.S. residents age 65 and older. By 2050, that figure is expected to more than double to 12.7 million. One of the first steps toward raising awareness is educating people on important facts concerning the progression of the illness and the number of older adults that it affects. A person develops AD in the United States every 65 seconds; people with Alzheimer's and any other dementia often withdraw from society and sometimes even family.
Dementia affects parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language, with Alzheimer's disease as the most common form of dementia. While the risk of developing AD increases with age, it is not considered a “normal" part of aging.
Many seniors living with Alzheimer's aren't aware they have it. The early signs of dementia include behavioral changes and difficulty with daily tasks such as dressing. According to the Alzheimer's Association, even after these symptoms are recognized by a health professional, only 45% of patients are told of their diagnosis. The failure to disclose the diagnosis to patients and their caregivers can prevent seniors from receiving the early treatment they need.
Dementia impacts more people every year, it is estimated that nearly 44 million people in the world are currently living with dementia. That number is projected to increase to 135 million by 2050.
Alzheimer's often leads to premature death, presently the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. There is currently no cure, and is the only illness in the country's top ten causes of death that can't be prevented or even slowed. Alzheimer's and other dementias are the causes of death for one in three seniors; deaths due to this disease number more than prostate and breast cancer combined.
In 2022, the total national cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer's and other dementias is projected to reach $321 billion, increasing to nearly $1 trillion in today's dollars by 2050. This does not include the $271.6 billion in unpaid caregiving by family and friends.
For more information regarding Alzheimer's Disease and available resources, please visit: https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Aging-Alzheimers-and-Dementia.aspx.