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HEALTH

Alzheimer's Rate Expected to Triple in Coming Decades

As many as fourteen million Americans could be struggling with the brain disease by 2050, say experts

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by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

Image: KQED

The outgoing Baby Boomer generation will contribute to the tripling of the population with Alzheimer's disease, the degenerative brain condition that causes memory loss, reports FOX.

As of 2010, there were almost five million people living with the condition that spurs dementia, but by 2050 that number is expected to grow to a whopping fourteen million. This will be largely be due to the number of "elderly elderly" aged 85 and over, experts say.

"These are the baby boomers," explains geriatrician Ronan Factora, who's warning health care professionals to brace for the coming wave. "They're getting older and they're going to have these conditions, including Alzheimer's disease."

Factora cautions folks to avoid high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which some experts suspect may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's. Additionally, "keep yourself physically active," he advises. "Do things to keep your mind active as well."

Via FOX.
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What can be done to help reduce the number of folks with Alzheimer's in the future?

Comments (view in Forum)

  • martydotcom
    !
    @Malitia_Man regrettably coconut oil has proved to be worthless. All med science can do is slow progression for a year or so after that all you can do is treat the behaviors to prevent patient harming themselves and make it easier for caregiver to manage
  • martydotcom
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    @SmedleyButler been touted and proven ineffective at trials run Mayo Clinc, Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, Mt Sinai all agree n not effective. only evidence is anecdotal " over night my patients improved," but no one can repeat the results claimed. Personal exp in 'o8. it make a wonderful laxative, a great fragrance massage oil, raises cholesterol off the walls, but was of no help for wife's Alzheimer's,
    Drowning people reach for anything when they're owing down for 3rd time. She also was a gunea pig in 3 new drug double blind studies..development of bowel cancer 2 yrs ago disqualified her from any new drug testing.

  • View all 8 replies >

  • Neo_NtheMatrix
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    The obesity crisis in this country definitely isn't going to help things. I agree with the staying active part. Hopefully we can find out what causes such a horrible debilitating disease. I have a neighbor that has a parent suffering from Alzheimer's. It's not pretty, the stories he tells me. If only we could unshackle the private sector to tackle such an issue...
  • PNWest
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    Much better post. Alzheimer's is an awful disease especially for the families. It's hard on the patients most in the early stages when the frustration of not being able to remember things gets worse and worse then the horror shifts to the families as there loved one slips in and out of rationality. I've seen this disease up close in loved ones and wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
  • DARSB
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    Just to be clear, the private sector is working its ass off on Alzheimer's. The problem is the disease seems to work at the molecular level and we can't claim to understand brain function in that detail.
  • Rocker
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    Sex is a great deterrent too!!! OK..... well maybe not but it's kinda like riding a bike. Once you do it, it's hard to forget how. Just sayin......
  • martydotcom
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    My MIL died of Alzheimer's, which was confirmed by autopsy, still the only way to truly diagnose the disease
    My wife was DX'd with Alzheimer's in O7. if you perceive the disease as merely forgetting things, come spend a day with an Alzheimer's victim, I could use a break from caregiving 24x7 x52,for a late stage 6, 67 yr old, now devoid of all expressive and receptive cognitive ability... over diagnosing, old people forget?You know not of what you speak flaunting one's ignorance isn't flattering
  • mimi57
    !
    That's true to a point. However, I've worked with people who were very successful
    and had careers such as nurses, teachers, and scientists and once they start to
    develope alzheimer's, it goes from being forgetful, to not knowing where your room
    is, total confusion, getting lost driving around the block..walking in circles and calling for their mommy. Losing control of their most basic functions and finally 'forgetting'
    to swallow food. Usually at that point, death is not far off. It's is a sad, horrible disease, and I don't think it's over diagnosed. In fact, early diagnosis is good because treatment can be started sooner.(:

  • View all 43 replies >

  • mimi57
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    Take care of your mind and body when you're young...minimal drinking, say no to
    drugs, eat healthy, exercise, socialize 'in person', not' facebook friends', have hobbies you enjoy...and help others, volunteer to mentor kids or adults w/ reading,
    visit the aged, help out in animal shelters, etc. Think young and appreciate each day!

  • View all 6 replies >

  • wertg
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    It's time to allow humans a method to exit from their life gracefully, if they want to. Can't we at least have a discussion about this?

    Just watched my dad deteriorating with this disease until he finally died. I do not want to go through that - I want the choice to go when I am ready.
  • stepped_in_it
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    HMMMM....stange math here. "baby boomers" years born are 1946-1964. By 2050, the last year of "baby boomers" (1964) will be 86 years old. The average life span of someone born in 1964 is 76 years old (google). Not many "baby boomers" will be around by 2050, I would guess! But then again, I flunked "new" math!
  • Dan_Tien
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    People sometimes live to be older than 100 years old, and average lifespan has been increasing due to advances in medicine. Though as the costs of healthcare increase and younger people complain about supporting "useless" old people, that trend could change.
  • u
    RealityOne
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    they began mass fluoridie medication in the 50s and 60s.....50+ plus years of exposure has led us to where we are now, which is why it is getting worse
  • stepped_in_it
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    Now, I have to be honest and put my joker to the side:
    My Mom passed away partially because of early stage of Alzheimer's. She was taking medicine for a stomach ulcer and because she'd forget....she over took her medicine. It ultimately caused to a perforated ulcer. My Dad rushed her to the hospital....but due to bleeding and weakness (reason they couldn't operate), she passed away less than 12 hours after being admitted!
    I didn't get to say goodbye.....I being in TN and her in Calif. Couldn't get there in time.
  • jessejaymes
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    I'm serious as can be here. Alzheimers at my age scares me more than dying of anything else. My time comparatively speaking is short. I just don't want to go out like that. My condolences.

    On another note on another thread, we're fixing to force the south to secede. You may have to sleep on my couch for a while till you get it together but you don't want to stay. They're fencing it off this time. The union is.
  • jessejaymes
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    @thatgirl Depends. Can you slap your state around a little and get them whipped into shape? I need to know. You get discounts for buying a lot of couches at once.
  • o
    thatgirl
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    @jessejaymes How about if wse just lop off the bootheel and just give it back to AR? I am pretty sure we can bring the rest of the state around. ;)

  • View all 10 replies >

  • u
    Anonymous12
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    In India, they have the lowest rate for Alzheimer's. Something they use in their food is turmeric and scientists are currently studying the herb to see if it does aid in the prevention of Alzheimer's.
  • u
    RealityOne
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    Yes and they also do not fluoridate water in India.

    Turmeric?? Whaaaa? LOL yes they will waste money on that but won't look at fluoride.....

    Oh well when fluoride also lowers IQ I guess nobody notices these things.(I'm not talking about you, Anonymous12 :)
  • u
    SAS86
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    How old do people in India live on average. If they don't live into their 70's and up then maybe they don't get "A" because they died earlier than the typical onset.
  • u
    Anonymous12
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    @RealityOne Fluoride is known to cause brain problems and many countries have banned it from being used in drinking water. In the US, it is found in most things we drink. Maybe if they would stop this practice, our Alzheimer's rate would drop since I think it contributes to people developing it. Look up turmeric and the health benefits. I think you may be surprised lol. I had to do a report on different spices that promote health.
  • u
    Anonymous12
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    @SAS86 the average woman lives to be 70 and the average man lives to be 65 in India. I know people who started developing Alzheimer's in their 50's and 60's but you do have a point. Turmeric has been proven to promote health in the brain. It is showing positive results in lab mice, but seeing as it is a different species, it could vary.
  • martydotcom
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    @Anonymous12 only problem is we've had numerous successful Alzheimer's cures with lab rats, thus far, nary a one has proven useful in humans

  • View all 6 replies >

  • harold_lloyd
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    There are myriad ongoing research projects with preventing or arresting alzheimer's as their objective. Whoever gets here first stands to be a huge winner. Probably the second and third, too.

    This is also a good example of the usefulness of government sponsored research.
  • u
    RealityOne
    !
    Well no wonder considering how people are guzzling down fluoride in tap water, and eating it in processed foods, falling for those pills the dentist hands out like candy....fluoride rolls out the red carpet for aluminum to get in your brain......
    I was raised on well water and the only cavity I ever had was due to an ingrown wisdom tooth. Diet makes your teeth strong, not toxic waste produced from smelting aluminumn.

    I got a fluoride filter a while back after living at a place with town water...even though you cannot undo the damage fluoride causes, you can minimize it.
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