The Facts
Alzheimer's disease has a major impact on the health of Americans. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that about $61 billion is spent annually in medical treatment and nursing home care, lost productivity, and early death due to Alzheimer's disease. The number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease has more than doubled since 1980; now there are about 4.5 million Americans with the disease. As the baby boom population ages, there could be as many as 16 million Americans with Alzheimer's disease by the year 2050.
We still don't understand exactly how Alzheimer's disease damages the brain. Somehow, cells are damaged and eventually die in different areas of the brain. The damaged areas of the brain contain abnormalities called senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The death of brain cells leads to dementia, characterized by memory loss, impaired judgment, and behavioral changes. Eventually, the person loses speech, and bladder and bowel control. People with Alzheimer's typically die of infections such as pneumonia or other medical problems. Most people live for about 7 years after diagnosis, but some have lived for up to 20 years.
Each case of Alzheimer's usually affects at least 2 lives: the person with the condition, and the patient's spouse or child who gradually becomes a full-time caregiver as the disease progresses. Caring for an individual with Alzheimer's can be demanding and stressful. Many caregivers must eventually face the difficult decision of placing their loved one in institutional care.