Update - What Are Your Chances of Getting Alzheimer’s?

The Alzheimer’s Association has just put out new figures giving the chances of someone over 55 developing Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. The most important findings reflect a considerable increased frequency of the disease. For example, 1 in 6 women and 1 in 10 men aged 55 and older can expect to develop Alzheimer’s in their remaining lifetime. As you see, women are nearly twice as likely as men to develop the disease (17% vs. 9%). This is because, on average, women live longer than men, and thereby have more time to develop the condition.

The risk of developing any dementia after 55, including Alzheimer’s, is greater – 21% for women and 14% for men. (Most of the non-Alzheimer dementias are classified as vascular dementia [associated with atherosclerosis of the cerebral blood vessels], Parkinson’s disease, Lewy-body dementia, Huntingdon’s disease, and multiple sclerosis).

Seventy percent of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias live at home where friends and family take care of them. Last year nearly 10 million Americans provided 8.4 billion hours of unpaid care to Alzheimer’s patients; this was valued at $89 billion, four times more than what Medicaid pays for nursing home care for such people.

Finally, think of this. Every 71 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease; by 2050 someone will develop Alzheimer’s every 33 seconds. These numbers are excellent reasons to increase support for research into the cause and treatment of Alzheimer’s.