To this first-time attendee, the Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Conference in Chicago’s McCormick Center was a cornucopia of exciting ideas; emotional highs and lows; and inspiring examples of courage and compassion. Today, it is nearly impossible to bring up the subject of Alzheimer’s disease without discovering someone who has had their lives in, some way touched, by the this disease. One thing is clear, this is no longer a subject that caregivers and families should keep to themselves.

Consider some of the staggering facts about this disease:

• Over 5 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease in the US today, including one out of eight people age 65 and older, and nearly one out of two over the age of 85.

• While deaths from other heart disease and cancer are falling, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased by nearly 33% between 2000 and 2004.

• Almost 10 million Americans are caring for a person with Alzheimer’s, most of them unpaid family members, who in 2005 provided 8.5 billion hours of care valued at almost $83 billion.

Despite the unimaginable scale of these numbers, the most memorable aspect of the conference was its human, personal dimension - a perspective familiar to anyone who has ever cared for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association has done heroic work in funding research and providing leadership for professionals in the field. Through our new elder care portal, AGIS hopes to help spread this information beyond the professional community to family members and others, along with access to resources, and opportunities for caregivers to tell their stories and find support. Readers can access the latest information on a variety of government agencies, research foundations, and support groups that focus on Alzheimer’s via http://www.agis.com/Eldercare-Basics/Support-Services/Alzheimers-Services

Filed under: Alzheimer's