An alarming new report on the prevalence of Alheimer's disease and dementia was released Tuesday by the Alzheimer's Association.
According to the report, deaths from the disease have increased 68% from 2000 to 20110. The Association estimates that one in three elderly will suffer from Alzheimer's disease or some other form of dementia by the time they die.
The number of people with Alzheimers is expected to rise to 13.8 million by 2050, up from the current number of 5.2 million. In Central New York, up to 69,000 people have Alzheimer's.
According to Catherine James, Chief Executive Officer of the Alzheimer's Association of Central New York, "New York is home to more than 320,000 people living with Alzheimer's ddisease. With deaths from this disease continuing to rise, it is clear that urgent ,meaningful action is necessary."
The statistics point to an increasing burden on medical caregivers and insurance costs.
Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative brain disorder marked by memory loss,and an inability to reason and solve problems. Among people 65 and older, it is the fifth-leading cause of death.
