Dementia Facts And Statistics: Present And Future
Dementia is a subject that most people try to avoid. Just the thought of memory loss - in a loved often met with, friend, co-worker or, worse yet, ourselves — makes us terribly uncomfortable. Unless we are confronted directly with dementia, we prefer to contrive of it as “someone else’s point to be solved.”
But dementia - one of the world’s fastest growing diseases — won’t go off and it is fast becoming “everyone’s question.” A look at the facts and statistics surrounding dementia clearly show that it is a massive issue, possibly a medical catastrophe in the making, with no easy solution.
Indeed, the numbers and statistics surrounding dementia are staggering. Worldwide, there are at this time an estimated 24 million people living with some form of dementia. Without a major medical breakthrough in the fight against idiocy, this number could jump to as many as 84 the public who have age-related memory loss by the year 2040.
Although there are a number of forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s is the most common, and most well-known, of the age-related memory loss diseases. Currently, more than five million Americans be punished from Alzheimer’s, and it is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. About 13% of Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s and moiety of those over age 85 will develop Alzheimer’sitting — or a closely related dementia.
Health analysts estimate that in just five years the sum up of Americans by Alzheimer’s will jump to 7.7 million and by 2050 the number is projected to more than double to 16 million. So wherefore is this disease growing in like a manner rapidly?
Simply put, our population is “graying” and our citizens are living much longer than any previous generation. In fact, the fastest growing segment of our population is the over 80 age clump, and the odds of becoming foolish for the very elderly are much higher.
Another aspect to our changing peopling is in what condition quickly this modify has taken place. A person born in 1900 could reasonably hope to reach about the age of 50 - the average life prospect was just 47 years. However, over the course of the last hundred years a number of factors, such because medical advances, widespread access to health be troubled, improved sanitation and better nourishing have had a tremendous stroke on in what condition far-seeing we live. Consequently, the average life expectance for as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but men and women in the U.S. today is 77 years of age. That’s an impossible to believe increase of 30 years in just single century.
And, with the Baby Boomer generation onward the edge of retirement, we are now looking at a shift to an even older society. There are about 77 the public in the baby boomer generation. By the year 2030, these men and women will make up near 20% of the total U.S. people. As a result, health experts currently estimate that at least 10 million Baby Boomers will develop Alzheimer’s.
The news on account of older Baby Boomer females is even bleaker in the same proportion that about one-in-six females over the age of 55 could bring out Alzheimer’s. Why do more women than men get Alzheimer’s? It’s not anything genetic. It is simply that women traditionally live longer (by about five years in the U.S), so it becomes basically a numbers game.
The statistics surrounding dementia are sobering. If you do not currently know someone with memory loss — a family member, friend, neighbor or co-worker — then you most certainly will know someone in the near future.
There are two risk factors for loss of intellect, genetics and aging, and neither of these factors can be controlled. While time and cash is being funneled into Alzheimer’s and dementia research, in that place is no “magic bullet” solution. Currently, there are several “disease-modifying therapies” in development that may offer temporary slowing of disease progression or strange to say restore cognitive function. However, it may take years before these therapies are available to the general public.
The best approach is to adopt a proactive brain health lifestyle today. And, if a loved one or you is experiencing any signs of cognitive loss then you should visit your hale condition care professional immediately.
For more information about brain health and dementia, visit us online at http://www.brainlc.com or contact the Brain Longevity Center at 805-497-7274. The Brain Longevity Center is a medical urbanity that offers proactive programs for those with mild-to-moderate dementia and those seeking to sustain a healthy brain as they age.
***Health and dementia statistics are from the Alzheimer’s Association, the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/anti-aging-articles/dementia-facts-and-statistics-present-and-future-523568.html
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