When Alzheimer Beats Boomer
The latest 2008 statistics show there are at least 5.2 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. And with an increasing trend in the number of new cases, it will be doubly hard for the U.S. healthcare system to undertake the weighty task of care and treatment.
The recent projection reveals that the disease will remain a significant multi-faceted issue to plague the country in the next decades. The numbers suggest that by 2050, there will be close to a million new cases and that Alzheimer’s disease would be the seventh deadliest disease in America. The figures also manifest that the risk is greater among women in contrast to men.
The overall projection of 10 million cases even makes the scenario more alarming since the ratio is pegged at 1 out of every 8 baby boomers.
The impact of having boomers experiencing this high-risk disease can be visibly understood in terms of the boomers’ higher purchasing power and the expanding circle of caregivers that are either children or grandchildren.
Even federal health insurance programs recognized the significance of the issue. Medicare cushions the trebling cases by spending thrice the amount of money on those afflicted with the disease than it does for an average Medicare recipient. Medicare is expected to spend $160 billion by 2010, a number that will be an increasing trend by 2015 when it continues to rise to $189 billion each year.
The projected figures, as reported by the Alzheimer’s Association, also imply the need for increasing long-term care systems instituted for home and assisted living facilities; an even more problematic situation as these costs are not covered by most health insurance.
Research spending on the disease remained relatively low at $640 million as compared to the $5 billion annual budget on cancer research and $3 billion annual budget on heart disease. Unless more money is spent on research and testing to find a cure for the disease, the disease will continue to plague many millions of baby boomers.
Alzheimer’s and care giving for loved ones with Alzheimer’s is a troubling boomer concern. But you do not have to suffer alone! Come join others at boomeryearbook.com for information and support.
www.boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.
For www.boomeryearbook.com
The recent projection reveals that the disease will remain a significant multi-faceted issue to plague the country in the next decades. The numbers suggest that by 2050, there will be close to a million new cases and that Alzheimer’s disease would be the seventh deadliest disease in America. The figures also manifest that the risk is greater among women in contrast to men.
The overall projection of 10 million cases even makes the scenario more alarming since the ratio is pegged at 1 out of every 8 baby boomers.
The impact of having boomers experiencing this high-risk disease can be visibly understood in terms of the boomers’ higher purchasing power and the expanding circle of caregivers that are either children or grandchildren.
Even federal health insurance programs recognized the significance of the issue. Medicare cushions the trebling cases by spending thrice the amount of money on those afflicted with the disease than it does for an average Medicare recipient. Medicare is expected to spend $160 billion by 2010, a number that will be an increasing trend by 2015 when it continues to rise to $189 billion each year.
The projected figures, as reported by the Alzheimer’s Association, also imply the need for increasing long-term care systems instituted for home and assisted living facilities; an even more problematic situation as these costs are not covered by most health insurance.
Research spending on the disease remained relatively low at $640 million as compared to the $5 billion annual budget on cancer research and $3 billion annual budget on heart disease. Unless more money is spent on research and testing to find a cure for the disease, the disease will continue to plague many millions of baby boomers.
Alzheimer’s and care giving for loved ones with Alzheimer’s is a troubling boomer concern. But you do not have to suffer alone! Come join others at boomeryearbook.com for information and support.
www.boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.
For www.boomeryearbook.com
