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Alzheimer’s Disease – 6th Leading Cause of Death
By Sailynn Doyle
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in this country. Recently President Obama signed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) into law. NAPA creates for the first time a coordinated national strategy to confront one of America’s most feared and costly diseases, a disease that will plague more baby boomers as they age. Given the scale of the Alzheimer epidemic and the growing number of Americans directly affected every single day, NAPA will provide an essential framework within the government that recognizes the Alzheimer crisis is no longer emerging but is here.
“The Alzheimer’s Association is pleased that a much needed plan will now be put into place to address the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, among the 10 leading causes of death, it is by far the fastest growing — increasing more than 50 percent from 2000 to 2007,” said Harry Johns, Alzheimer’s Association president and CEO. “Given the devastation experienced by millions of families because of this disease and the staggering economic costs, particularly to Medicare and Medicaid, we must have an effective strategy now. The fact that Alzheimer’s is the only one of the top 10 causes of death without a way to prevent, cure or even slow it underscores the critical need for the swift, aggressive implementation of this legislation.”
“Beyond the human impact on families, which cannot be underestimated, the economic burden — with total care costs escalating from $172 billion today to more than $1 trillion by 2050 — are significant as well,” said Robert J. Egge, Alzheimer’s Association vice president of public policy. “Alzheimer’s leaves American families, Medicare, Medicaid and our healthcare system defenseless against skyrocketing costs, and it leaves each of us vulnerable to the wide-ranging effects of this devastating disease.”
Do you know the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease?
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, memory loss that disrupts daily life is not a typical part of aging. It may be a sign of Alzheimer’s -- a fatal brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. Individuals may experience one or more of the warning signs in varying degrees. These signs are:
1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgment
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood and personality
Persons exhibiting any of the signs are encouraged to see a doctor.
Home Instead Senior Care is the leading provider of dementia and Alzheimer’s care for seniors. CAREGivers go through an extensive training program to learn the background of the disease and how to work with clients and families who are dealing with the disease. Home Instead Senior Care is committed to remaining the leader in care for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease. In 2011, Home Instead will be enhancing the training provided to CAREGivers and the resources provided to families.
Sailynn Doyle
At Home Instead Senior Care, we customize our services to fit your needs. We provide non-medical care to seniors and their families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. Services such as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, shopping, errands, incidental transportation and personal care are just some of the most popular. All of our CAREGivers are thoroughly screened - criminal background check, driving record check, social security trace, sex offender list, and six references. We are available for free consultations 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Call 508.984.7900 or visit www.HomeInstead.com/673 for more information.
Sailynn Doyle is the owner of Home Instead Senior Care in North Dartmouth, located at 634 State Road (Route 6), Unit A1. The North Dartmouth office serves all of Southeastern Massachusetts. They are available for free consultations 24/7. Please call 508.984.7900 or visit www.homeinstead.com/673 for more information. Each office is an independently owned and operated franchise of Home Instead, Inc., the world's largest provider of non-medical in-home care services for seniors.
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