What Is Dementia?

Aging | Friday September 7 2007 7:35 am |

Dementia is a subject that most people try to avoid them. Only the thought of memory loss - a loved one, friend, colleague or, worse, us - makes us extremely uncomfortable. Unless we are directly confronted with dementia, we prefer to believe, as “the problem of someone else.”

But dementia - one of the fastest in the world, growth diseases - will not disappear, and it is rapidly “the problem of everyone.” A glance at the facts and statistics around dementia clearly show that this is a massive problem, maybe a medical disaster in the making, but there is no simple solution.

Indeed, figures and statistics around dementia are dizziness exciting. In today’s world, there are now estimated at 24 million people with some form of dementia. Without a major medical breakthrough in the fight against dementia, this figure could not jump from fewer than 84 million, the age of memory loss until the year 2040.

Admittedly, there are a number of forms of dementia of Alzheimer’s disease is the most common and best known, the age of memory loss diseases. Currently, more than five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and it is the seventh leading cause of death in the USA 13% of Americans aged 65 have Alzheimer’s disease and half of people over 85 years is to develop Alzheimer’s disease “- or a closely related dementia.

Health Analysts estimate that in just five years, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease rises to 7.7 million and 2050 the number will more than doubled to 16 million. Why is this disease as quickly growing?

Simply put, our population is aging and our citizens to live much longer than any previous generation. Indeed, the segment growing the fastest of the population is over 80 years, and the rate more and more safeguards for the elderly are much higher.

Another aspect of our population is changing, as the rapid evolution took place. A person born in 1900, could reasonably hope to achieve, over the age of 50 - the average life expectancy of only 47 years. However, during the last century, a number of factors, such as medical progress, widespread access to health care, better hygiene and better food, a huge influence on how we live for a long time. Hence, the average life expectancy for men and women in the USA is now 77 years old. It is up incredible 30 years in a century.

And with baby-boomer generation of the edge of retirement, we are now on a transition to a society still the oldest. There are about 77 million in generation of baby boomers. Until the year 2030, these men and women represent approximately 20% of the total U.S. population. As a result, health experts estimate that at least 10 million Baby Boomers to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Messages for baby boomers older women is as bleak as six women aged 55 could be to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Why more women than men get the disease? This is not all genetic. It is easy, that traditionally women live longer (about five years in the USA), it is in fact a game of numbers.

The statistics around dementia are disappointing. If you do not know how someone with memory loss - a family member, friend, neighbor or employees - then most probably know someone in the near future.

There are two risk factors for dementia, genetics and aging, and none of these factors can be controlled. While the time and money is Funneling in Alzheimer’s disease and research, there is no “magic bullet” solution. Currently, there are several disease modifying therapies in development, which can offer temporary slowing of disease progression or even restore cognitive function. However, it may take years before these therapies are available to the general public .

The best approach is the adoption of a brain health proactive lifestyle today. And if a loved one or experienced all the signs of cognitive loss then you should host of health personnel immediately.

No Comments »

No comments yet.

RSS feed. TrackBack URI

Leave a comment