Percentage of Americans With Dementia
As many as 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia. Researchers predict that number will skyrocket in coming years as the nation's population gets older, including the millions of Baby Boomers entering their senior years.
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What is Dementia?
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Dementia is a decline in mental function that hampers regular life activities. Alzheimer's begins in the region of the brain that affects recent memory and then attacks other areas. The damage can begin as early as 10 to 20 years before there are obvious signs of memory loss. Eventually the illness spreads to other parts of the brain, without any cure.
Specific causes for most dementia are unknown, however the illness is more common in elderly adults.
Rising Numbers
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Researchers in a study funded by the National Institute on Aging found that one in seven Americans over 70 suffer from dementia. The study found that about 3.4 million people age 71 and older have type of dementia. The number of dementia patients, including Alzheimer's, is predicted to steadily increase as the population ages and Americans live longer.
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Gender Difference
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More women than men are diagnosed with dementia. Researchers say this may have less to do with biology and more likely be due to the fact that women in general live longer than men and have more time to develop Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Both numbers are predicted to increase.
History
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Alzheimer's disease is named after German doctor Alois Alzheimer. In 1906 Alzheimer discovered abnormal changes in the brain tissue of a woman who died of a mental illness. His discoveries are considered the clearest physical evidence of Alzheimer's. The only way to fully prove a patient had Alzheimer's is after death, once the brain is examined.
Caregiving
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About 10 million Americans provide free care to dementia patients, including relatives and non relatives.
The care is estimated at 8.5 billion hours valued at $94 billion. Most dementia patients are cared for at home.
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