Research Suggests Alzheimer’s More Deadly Than Estimated

At Accutech Security, we are keenly aware of the rapidly increasing need for facilities that can accommodate those with Alzheimer’s and the particular challenges of serving this population. A report from the Alzheimer’s Association suggests that in the United States, a new person develops Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia every 67 seconds. That is equal to 470,000 Americans this year alone. Without advances in prevention and/or treatment, it is projected that the rate of people suffering from Alzheimer’s in the United States will triple by the year 2050–from 5 million currently to about 13.8 million.

This population requires unique care and protection. Wander Management provided by RFID-enabled systems like ResidentGuard allow facilities to monitor residents at risk of elopement without impeding the movement of other residents or impinging on the dignity of anyone. A new study examining how cause of death is determined suggests that it is possible that Alzheimer’s disease might actually be responsible for killing more than 500,000 people in the United States each year. If this data is supported by subsequent research, it will make Alzheimer’s the third leading cause of death (in the U.S.) behind heart disease and cancer. As currently estimated it ranks sixth with more than 83,000 deaths each year. These numbers dictate how research funding is allocated and such a huge increase would have a significant impact on the attention being focused on this epidemic.

The National Institutes for Health 2014 research budget lists $5.6 billion for cancer, which affects roughly 13 million people in the United States, and about $562 million for Alzheimer’s disease, which is currently affects roughly 5 million people.

“By my math, funding is 10 times higher for cancer than Alzheimer’s disease and, per capita, about four times as high,” said Bryan D. James, an assistant professor with the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, who led the study recently published in the journal Neurology. “Determining the true effects of dementia in this country is important for raising public awareness and identifying research priorities.”

Scientists studying Alzheimer’s disease estimate they will need $2 billion a year for 10 years to conduct research that will make a difference in prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Due to increase research attention and funding, James added that “In the past 10 to 15 years, we’ve been able to make major strides in terms of the death rates from cancer, heart disease, HIV and AIDS. Now it’s time to make a similar investment in Alzheimer’s.”