Largest Economy If Dementia Was A Country
Figures
- There are currently estimated to be over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia. The number of people affected is set to rise to 139 million by 2050, with the greatest increases in low and middle income countries
- Already 60% of people with dementia live in low and middle income countries, but by 2050 this will rise to 71%
- A new case of dementia arises somewhere in the world every 3 seconds
- Up to three quarters of those with dementia worldwide have not received a diagnosis
- Almost 80% of the general public are concerned about developing dementia at some point and 1 in 4 people think that there is nothing we can do to prevent dementia.
- Almost 62% of healthcare practitioners worldwide incorrectly think that dementia is part of normal ageing
- 35% of carers across the world said that they have hidden the diagnosis of dementia of a family member
- Over 50% of carers globally say their health has suffered as a result of their caring responsibilities even whilst expressing positive sentiments about their role
How Many People In The Uk Have Dementia
A report in 2019, commissioned by Alzheimers Society from the London School of Economics and Political Science , set out estimates for the number of people with dementia and the cost of dementia care in the UK with projections to 2040.The report found:
- There are currently around 900,000 people with dementia in the UK. This is projected to rise to 1.6 million people by 2040.
- 209,600 people will develop dementia this year, thats one every three minutes.
- 70 per cent of people in care homes have dementia or severe memory problems.
- There are over 42,000 people under 65 with dementia in the UK. This is known as young-onset dementia.
- More than 25,000 people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in the UK are affected by dementia.
In April 2022, the monthly death statistics for England, released by the Office for National Statistics , reported dementia and Alzheimers disease as Englands biggest killer. Deaths from dementia in Wales remain high compared with other major diseases.
You Can Buy Supplements Online To Prevent Or Cure Alzheimers Disease
There are many websites and advertisements that promise certain supplements can effectively treat or cure diseases such as Alzheimers. In some cases, these may seem reliable, offering advice on healthy aging and Alzheimer’s to gain peoples trust and promote their products. However, there is no scientific evidence backing these claims, and currently, no supplement has been proven to delay, prevent, treat, or cure Alzheimers.
Talk with your doctor before taking any supplements or trying any other new treatments.
Find tips to help determine whether an online health information article is reliable.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Alzheimers Disease
Early on, Alzheimers disease may be hard to notice. The first signs are usually memory loss and difficulty finding the right words for everyday things. However, many people have trouble with memory but dont have Alzheimers so its important to visit a doctor to work out the exact cause of memory problems.
Other common symptoms of Alzheimers disease include:
- vagueness in daily conversation
Alzheimers disease is sometimes classified into 3 stages, based on the severity of symptoms:
Symptoms will progress differently between people, depending on what areas of the brain are affected. A persons symptoms may also change from day to day and can become worse with stress, illness or tiredness.
Alzheimers Disease Symptoms Are Normal As We Get Older
Many people become more forgetful as they age, and some forgetfulness, such as losing things from time to time, is normal. However, common signs and symptoms of Alzheimers, such as making poor judgments and decisions a lot of the time, having problems recognizing friends and family, or losing track of the date or time of year are not a normal part of aging.
If you are worried about your memory or other possible Alzheimers symptoms, talk with your doctor. The doctor may ask questions about your health history, perform assessments of your thinking and memory, and carry out medical tests to determine your diagnosis.
Learn more about the signs and symptoms of Alzheimers disease.
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Common Forms Of Dementia
There are many different forms of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form and may contribute to 60-70% of cases. Other major forms include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies , and a group of diseases that contribute to frontotemporal dementia . Dementia may also develop after a stroke or in the context of certain infections such as HIV, harmful use of alcohol, repetitivephysical injuries to the brain or nutritional deficiencies. The boundaries between different forms of dementia are indistinct and mixed forms often co-exist.
The Prevalence Of Alzheimers Disease Is Increasing
According to Alzheimers Orange County, The number of Americans with Alzheimers disease and other dementias will grow each year as the size and proportion of the U.S. population age 65 and older continue to increase. With more than a 40 percent increase from 2015, the number of people with Alzheimers and other dementias is estimated to reach 7.1 million by 2025. This will nearly triple in 2050 with a projected 13.8 million.
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People With Dementia Are Four Times More Likely To Die From Covid
Nearly two-thirds of dementia patients with COVID-19 are hospitalized, compared to 25% of the general public. As for African Americans with dementia, that figure jumps to 70%.
Also, data on the mortality rate of Alzheimers disease reveals that more than 20% of patients with dementia died when they contracted the virus, compared to only 5% of people without dementia.
Alzheimers Is A Leading Cause Of Death
In fact, it comes in sixth behind heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, accidents and stroke. The
CDC reported over 93,500 deaths from Alzheimers in 2014 alone. And the condition is widespread: According to the
Alzheimers Association, 1 in every 3 seniors will die with this disease or another form of dementia.
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Alzheimers Disease Impacts The Brain Structure
Alzheimers disease alters the structure of the brain. For example, some studies show how Alzheimers can cause ventricles in the brain to increase due to the shrinkage of other parts, such as the cerebral cortex. Over time, these gradual changes can lead to difficulty in sensing movement, such as pointing or gazing toward an object. It also changes how the pupils react to light.
Alzheimers Disease Does Not Always Impact Emotional Memories
According to Alzheimers Net, although Alzheimers disease is most commonly known for impaired memory, this is not always the case. We must remember: Alzheimers is the rapid decline of brain cells. This affects various cognitive functions such as thinking, memory, judgment, behavior and personality. While memory loss is a frequent symptom, it does not affect every individual equally.
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Only People In Their 70s And Older Get Alzheimers Disease
While the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimers is age, that does not mean that only older adults develop it. For most people with Alzheimers, its true that symptoms first appear in their mid-60s or beyond. However, some people experience symptoms earlier, even as young as their 30s. When a person develops Alzheimers between their 30s and mid-60s, its called early-onset Alzheimers. Early-onset Alzheimers is rare representing less than 10% of people with Alzheimers. Developing Alzheimers earlier in life can present specific challenges. People diagnosed at younger ages may be more likely to be raising children who are still at home or managing work and having to apply for disability than those who are diagnosed at older ages.
Many people with Down syndrome, a genetic condition, will also develop Alzheimers at an earlier age and may begin to show symptoms in their 40s.
Learn more about the causes of Alzheimers disease.
About 5%6% Of Alzheimers Patients Get It Before 65 As Per Alzheimers Stats
Its called young-onset Alzheimers, and its an uncommon form of dementia. According to Alzheimers disease statistics, of 6 million Americans with Alzheimers, approximately 300,000360,000 have the young-onset form. In addition, these people develop symptoms of the disease between the ages of 30 and 60.
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Facts About Alzheimer’s Disease
Posted on 6/3/20 by Laura Snider
Alzheimers Disease is a neurodegenerative condition that impairs memory and cognitive functioning. It affects around 5.5 million Americans, most of them over the age of 65, and is the 6th leading cause of death in the US.
Today were going to discuss five facts about Alzheimers that will help you understand its symptoms, its stages of progression, its potential risk factors, and some forms of treatment that can help slow it down.
Need a refresher on the structures of the brain? Check out this virtual brain dissection video with 3D visuals from Human Anatomy Atlas!
How Does Alzheimer’s Disease Affect The Brain
Scientists continue to unravel the complex brain changes involved in Alzheimers disease. Changes in the brain may begin a decade or more before symptoms appear. During this very early stage of Alzheimers, toxic changes are taking place in the brain, including abnormal buildups of proteins that form amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Previously healthy neurons stop functioning, lose connections with other neurons, and die. Many other complex brain changes are thought to play a role in Alzheimers as well.
The damage initially appears to take place in the hippocampus and the entorhinal cortex, which are parts of the brain that are essential in forming memories. As more neurons die, additional parts of the brain are affected and begin to shrink. By the final stage of Alzheimers, damage is widespread and brain tissue has shrunk significantly.
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Damage To Nerve Cells In The Brain Causes Alzheimers
Nerve cells in the brain are damaged when an individual has Alzheimers, and thats why its considered a brain disease. The neurons responsible for memory, language, and thinking are typically damaged first.4
As the disease progresses, more neurons are damaged, impacting different regions of the brain. Surprisingly, these changes to the brain may occur 20 years before Alzheimers symptoms start.4
Over 16 Million Americans Are Caregivers For Alzheimers Patients
These unpaid caregivers account for 83 percent of the help given to older adults. They provide 18.4 billion hours of care, for a value of more than $230 billion.
This can take a huge toll on caregivers. If youre caring for someone in the grip of dementia, know that you are not alone. There are resources and support available to help.
Additionally, getting an Alzheimers patient to a normal doctors office or clinic in the case of an urgent medical need can be hugely challenging. Instead, why not from the clinical team at DispatchHealth? Theyll meet you at your home, provide nearly any of the services you could get from your local emergency room, and help your loved one feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings.
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Alzheimers Disease May Affect An Individuals Sense Of Smell
An appalling fact about Alzheimers from The National Institutes of Health reveals that a person in the early stages of Alzheimers may lose their sense of smell. This change could also be due to other factors including brain injury, sinus infection, and Parkinsons disease.
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There Are An Estimated 800000 Americans With The Disease Living Alone
For all of the Alzheimers sufferers who are receiving support from family caregivers or who are living in an Alzheimers or dementia care community, as many as 15% of people with the disease still live alone. Many of those have no identified caregiver, a situation which puts them at greater risk of medical emergencies, poor self-care, social isolation and a range of other issues.
Source: The Alzheimers Associations Facts and Figuresreport.
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More Women Have Alzheimers
The Alzheimers Association reports that nearly two-thirds of Americans suffering from Alzheimers are women. However, it is important to note that this does not mean there is a gender-based predisposition for the disease the primary reason for this statistic is that women generally live longer than men.
The Progression Of Alzheimer’s Is Divided Into Three General Stages
There are three main stages of Alzheimers: early, middle, and late. Each stage has a distinct set of commonly-seen symptoms, degree of damage to the brain, and treatment options associated with it. The Alzheimers Association estimates that people typically live for 4-8 years after diagnosis, but there is a large degree of variation depending on the individual.
Early:
Alzheimers typically begins with small memory lapses while a person is still relatively independent. That is, a person with early-stage Alzheimers can still carry out everyday activities and care for themselves. Sometimes, however, they might have trouble remembering words, names, or new information. They might also misplace objects and start having difficulty with planning and organizational tasks.
Once these behavioral changes have become apparent to the individual experiencing them, or to their friends and family, its a good idea for that individual to be evaluated by a medical professional and discuss how to mitigate the diseases effects as it progresses.
Middle:
The middle stage of Alzheimers is when the most behavioral changes take place. Its usually the stage that patients are in for the longest period of time.
As the disease progresses, damage to and death of the neurons of the cerebral cortex continues.
The cerebral cortex, or cerebrum: home to language, thought, and decision making. Image from Human Anatomy Atlas.
Late:
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Alzheimers Has No Cure
Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for individuals living with Alzheimers. However, there is ongoing research to try and better understand the disease, its progression, and treatment options.2
There are treatments available that may help slow the progression of the disease. Medicines can be prescribed to those with Alzheimers to help them cope with their symptoms.6
The most recent treatment, Aducanumab , became available in June 2021. Aduhelm is a medication that works to reduce the buildup of beta-amyloid protein plaques on the brain, which block normal nerve cell function.3
Alzheimers Is A Form Of Dementia But The Two Are Not Interchangeable Terms
Many people mistakenly believe dementia and Alzheimers are one and the same. However, this is not true. Dementia is a broad term, and Alzheimers is a specific form of dementia.3
Alzheimers is one of the most common and recognizable brain diseases. Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, mixed dementia, and dementia caused by Parkinsons disease.
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How Alzheimer’s Disease Is Treated
There’s currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but medicines are available that can help relieve some of the symptoms.
Various other types of support are also available to help people with Alzheimer’s live as independently as possible, such as making changes to your home environment so it’s easier to move around and remember daily tasks.
Psychological treatments such as cognitive stimulation therapy may also be offered to help support your memory, problem solving skills and language ability.
Read more about treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Can You Prevent Alzheimers Disease
There is no sure way to prevent Alzheimers disease. However, you can reduce the risk of Alzheimers disease by caring for your health:
- your heart whats good for your heart is good for your brain so stick to a healthy diet and dont smoke
- your body regular physical activity increases blood flow to the brain so maintain an active lifestyle
- your mind an active mind helps build brain cells and strengthens their connections so socialise, do things such as puzzles and crosswords, and learn new things, such as a language
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Risk Factors And Prevention
Although age is the strongest known risk factor for dementia, it is not an inevitable consequence of biological ageing. Further, dementia does not exclusively affect older people young onset dementia accounts for up to 9% of cases. Studies show that people can reduce their risk of cognitive decline and dementia by being physically active, not smoking, avoiding harmful use of alcohol,controlling their weight, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Additional risk factors include depression, social isolation, low educational attainment, cognitive inactivity and air pollution.
The Most Expensive Disease In The Nation
A 2017 report from UsAgainstAlzheimers shows that the U.S. has vastly underestimated the public costs and consequences of the Alzheimers epidemic, and major social trends have direct and adverse implications for our capacity to cope with the Alzheimers epidemic in the years ahead.
- Total annual out-of-pocket payments in the U.S. for healthcare, long-term care, and hospice care for people with Alzheimers and other dementias are projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2050, if we dont develop a treatment or cure.
- Medicare and Medicaid only cover $175 billion, or approximately 68% of the out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
- Medicaid payments are on average 23 times higher for those with Alzheimers compared to those without, and Medicare payments are three times greater on average. By 2050, Alzheimers is expected to increase Medicare and Medicaid costs by over 330%.
- More than $250 billion is spent annually in out-of-pocket healthcare for Alzheimers, which is more than 179 times the amount spent on finding a cure.
Something is Wrong
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