How Many People Are Dealing with Alzheimer’s Right Now?

Elder Care in Alexandria VA

In the United States, it is estimated that 5.4 million people are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (Alzheimer’s Association). Also see below Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia and the most significant signs and symptoms of the disease is memory loss.

But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Those are just the people who have been formally diagnosed. The disease can begin impacting a person, affecting their life, for one to two years, on average, before they are officially diagnosed. Then, on top of that, you need to take into consideration the family members and friends of those who have been diagnosed with this disease.

There are tens upon tens of millions of people dealing with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease all across the country.

A person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will probably have other family members, such as a spouse, siblings, adult children, grandchildren, and others who will be directly impacted by this diagnosis.

Many of these family members will have no prior experience with this or any other form of dementia. They won’t know what to expect and will probably have various misconceptions about it. They will worry about the future, immediately think about times when their loved one no longer recognize them. That can cause a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety for each of these tens of millions of people.

It may very well come to pass that the senior reaches a point in his or her life when they don’t recognize the people around them, even their own children or spouse whom they have been married to for 50 or more years. However, when focusing on those aspects of the disease up front, it creates a bit of a cloud over reason and proper planning.

What can be done right now?

Those family members and friends of somebody who has recently been diagnosed with this disease is important to get the right support system in place. Develop a plan for not just the next few months or the next year, but several years into the future.

The average life expectancy for somebody diagnosed with Alzheimer’s is between eight and 10 years. There will certainly be challenges, there will also be opportunities to maintain a high quality of life for as long as possible.

Sit down and discuss with the senior what he or she would prefer in the future, especially if they reach a point when they are no longer lucid enough to make the best decisions for their safety and proper care.

There may be 5.4 million people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s but there are 5.6 million opportunities to improve life for those dealing with this disease.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Alexandria, VA, call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. 703-273-8818

• Author
• Recent Posts

Michelle DeFilippis

I graduated with a BS degree and had been selling medical equipment to hospitals, clinics and technicians. More recently, a family member was diagnosed with dementia and we, as a family, realized we were not prepared t care for her. We were thrown into that whirlpool of hospital stays, 24/7 live-in care, skilled care, caring for mom ourselves and finally, now daily home care. This was such a stressful time that I started thinking there had to be other people, other families as overwhelmed and unprepared as we were.

Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.

Latest posts by Michelle DeFilippis (see all)

• Do Your Parents Face More Challenges When They Live in a Rural Community? - November 6, 2019
• Ways to Ease Arthritis Symptoms in the Elderly - October 24, 2019
• Tips for a Better Life with Fibromyalgia - October 9, 2019