The
United States Census (2017) indicates our population is 323,127,513. Of that,
15.2% are older adults, which means there are approximately 47m Americans age
65 and over.
Of
that 47m, 5.1m or approximately 11% have been diagnosed with AD
(Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 2017). Of that 5.1m, 5% or 255k have been
misdiagnosed with Normal Pressure
Hydrocephalus (National Hydrocephalus Foundation, 2014), a treatable and
reversible condition that has symptoms similar to AD including dementia, gait
changes, balance difficulties, and urinary incontinence. This means
that about 90% of older adults do NOT have AD.
Further,
the CDC (2016) has identified the leading causes of death in older adults in
this order, indicating that heart disease and cancer are by far more prevalent
than AD. Any headline with "Alzheimer's" gets attention and yet, these are scare tactics and sensationalism. Almost FIVE TIMES more older adults die every year from heart disease, yet "Heart Disease" in a headline gets few readers. Please do not adopt the "Chicken Little" approach to Alzheimer's. Here are the FACTS. Leading causes of death in 2016 were:
“Heart disease 507,138k
Malignant neoplasms [Cancer]
419.389k
Chronic lower respiratory
diseases 131,804k
Cerebrovascular diseases
120,156k
Alzheimer’s disease 109,495k”
(CDC, 2016, p. 133).
References:
Amarya, S., Singh, K., &
Sabharwal, M. (2014). Health consequences of obesity in the
elderly. Journal of Clinical Gerontology and Geriatrics, 5(3),
63-67. doi:10.1016/j.jcgg.2014.01.004
CDC (2016). Defining
adult overweight and obesity. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/defining.html
CDC, National Center for Health
Statistics [NCHS], (2015). Prevalence of obesity among older
adults in the United States, 2007-2010. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db106.htm
National Hydrocephalus
Foundation (2014). Normal pressure hydrocephalus.
Retrieved fromhttp://nhfonline.org/normal-pressure-hydrocephalus.htm
U.S. Census Bureau
(2017). Population estimates, July 1, 2016, (V2016). Retrieved
fromhttps://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045216