Alzheimer’s 2014 Facts and Figures
The Alzheimer’s Association has released its 2014 facts and figures publication on the state of the disease.
This annual report reveals the changing statistics and growing impact of Alzheimer’s disease on our nation, including “growing death rates, the cost of the disease, and the burden placed on long-distance caregivers.”
There are also some telling numbers for our State. On page 23 of the report, it shows that 22,000 Rhode Islanders are currently suffering from this disease. By the year 2025, that number is expected to rise to 27,000; an increase of 22.7%. The causes cited are expected: the combination of longer life-expectancy, and the bulge of aging baby-boomers becoming America’s oldest portion of the population.
While it’s worth reading (or at least skimming) the entire report, the local RI chapter of the Association has also gathered our State’s numbers into a very informative one-page fact sheet.