LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A new report about Alzheimer's disease is not taking anyone by surprise. The numbers are not good for Americans... or for Kentucky.
The annual "Facts and Figures" report shows more Americans are being diagnosed with the disease and more needs to be done to stop it.
An estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 or older are living with Alzheimer's disease. By itself, a staggering number.
But by the year 2060, it's expected to more than double to 13.8 million Americans.
Alzheimer's disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. That's higher than diabetes and liver disease.
Three years ago in Kentucky, 75,000 people had Alzheimer's disease. By 2025, the number is projected at 86,000, a 14.7% increase.
Doctors say it's crucial to focus on not just making patients comfortable but finding a cure.
"We understand so much, I would say 90% of everything that causes Alzheimer's," said Dr. Greg Jicha. "That contributes to the process, and with that understanding now comes our ability to look at, what can we target, how can we change this."
Dr. Jicha says much of that progress is already happening at UK's Sanders Brown Center on Aging. It's being recognized as being on the cutting edge of research, and the director of clinical trials says there's reason for optimism.
"There's a lot more work to do, but we're on our way. So there is a lot of hope for the future," Dr. Jicha said.
In the meantime, another area for concern... the caregivers, both professional and family.
Dr. Jicha says caregivers are at higher risk for chronic health conditions and depression. And Kentucky is close to the bottom for the number of caregivers in poor health. It's all the more reason to ramp up research.
"We've really got to tackle this and free up, not just the money, but free up people's time and create a new quality of life for both the patients as well as the caregivers," he said.
