|Photo by Mitch.|
Modern medicine has enjoyed sweet success in preventing and treating a number of diseases.
People are living longer because there have been great strides in addressing heart disease, diabetes and even some cancers.
However, there is still no cure for Alzheimer's Disease (AD), which is currently the 6th leading cause of death in the United States.
November is Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. Consider wearing a purple ribbon!
It's a good time to focus on the prevalence of the disease and to learn about some ongoing work to prevent and cure AD in the near future.
More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's Disease. Just this month, Tom Magliozzi of NPR's Car Talk died from complications as a result of Alzheimer's Disease.
Other famous people who lived with Alzheimer's Disease include Etta James, Norman Rockwell, Rita Hayworth, Ronald Reagan, Rosa Parks, Peter Falk, and Iris Murdoch. Currently living with Alzheimer's Disease are novelist Terry Pratchett*, coach Pat Summitt, model B. Smith and singer Glen Campbell.
[Since this post was published, Pratchett passed away on March 12, 2015 at the age of 66. This was eight years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.]
These celebrities help people understand that as people age, everyone has a risk of Alzheimer's Disease. Every 67 seconds, someone is diagnosed with this disease, which is the major cause for dementia. Advanced age is the highest risk factor. 1:3 seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another type of dementia.
Alzheimer's is NOT a normal part of aging. It is a progressive disease that erodes the memory to the point where people have trouble walking, eating and even breathing. Pneumonia, sometimes caused by aspirating food, is a common cause of death for people with Alzheimer's Disease.
There are several researchers working on various elements of Alzheimer's Disease, ranging from prevention to treatment.
Banner Alzheimer's Institute (BAI) partners with many other stake holders in the field of Alzheimer's Disease--including but not limited to Alzheimer's Association, Johns Hopkins University, and the Mayo Clinic.
The following video provides an brief overview of BAI's mission and also explains some basics about Alzheimer's Disease.
Banner Alzheimer's Institute not only is doing groundbreaking research, this organization is working to establish a new standard of care and participating in international scientific collaborations.
Researchers need to speak to as many as 300,000 people to get 2,000 needed to launch a study. You can help by registering to receive updates about ongoing research and to find out if you might qualify to participate in important research studies.
Books about Dementia
Movies Depicting Alzheimer's Disease