LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Alzheimer’s Association, California Southland Chapter, have released last October 1 two reports that showed the projected number of adults living with Alzheimer’s disease will increase during the next two decades.
“As the baby generation ages so does their risk for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. “We estimate that more than 325,000 baby boomers living in the county today are expected to develop Alzheimer’s disease during their remaining lifetimes.
This will place a heavy burden not only on family caregivers but also on our ability to provide health services and long-term care.” The Public Health report also describes for the first time the sheer number of family members caring for loved ones with the disease everyday.
Combined with current and future population trends, the face of Alzheimer’s disease will change dramatically in the next twenty years. Among Latinos and Asian/Pacific Islanders, Alzheimer’s disease will nearly triple during that same timeframe.
“Alzheimer’s disease poses a huge societal burden. It is a time bomb that is set to explode during our lifetimes,” said Debra Cherry, PhD, executive vice president of the Alzheimer’s Association, California Southland Chapter. “There are more than 5 million Americans with Alzheimer’s, and more 147,000 live in LA County. The impact of the disease requires an honest and public discussion. We need to mobilize support and we need more funding for research toward treatment and a cure.”
Alzheimer’s disease is overwhelmingly a family matter. According to the Public Health report, more than 300,000 LA County adults reported providing care in the past 30 days to someone with Alzheimer’s disease or a memory loss disorder, Moe than one-third of these caregivers reported spending the equivalent of a part-time job (20 or more hours per week) providing care.
“While much more needs to be done, in terms of research, there are steps that individuals can take now to adopt healthy lifestyles that can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and related memory loss,” said Fielding. “Early diagnosis and treatment are also essential, as are programs that support both the patient and the caregiver.” Alzheimer’s disease is the seventh leading cause of death in LA County; it is the sixth leading cause of death for Californians. The data also show that in California between 2003 and 2005, one in five Alzheimer’s deaths (20 per cent) occurred in LA County.
The Alzheimer’s Association report can be found online at www.alz.org/claiforniasouthland. The Public Health report can be found online at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/ha. (www.asianjournal.com)
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