Alzheimer's Conference 2020

What is Alzheimers?
Who is presenting?
What is the HCPC?
Resources

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia. Dementia is a loss of thinking, remembering, and reasoning skills that interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. Other types of dementia include Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias – in addition to conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and developmental disabilities – can cause cognitive impairment. A few commons signs of cognitive impairment include: memory loss; frequently asking the same question or repeating the same story over and over; not recognizing familiar people and places; having trouble exercising judgment, such as knowing what to do in an emergency; changes in mood or behavior; vision problems; and difficulty planning and carrying out tasks, such as following a recipe or keeping track of monthly bills.

More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. In addition, many more are living without knowing they have the disease. Supporting them are over 16 million family members and friends who provide unpaid care at home. Their care is valued at nearly $244 billion by the Alzheimer’s Association. Between 2000 and 2018 deaths from Alzheimer’s has increased 146% and is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Alzheimer’s disease is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

Researchers do not yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer’s disease in most people. However, they continue to study a complex series of age-related brain changes, along with genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors to better understand the disease. Just because a family member has Alzheimer’s disease does not mean that others in the family will get it, too. Genetic factors can make people more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, but there is no guarantee someone will get it.

Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Several drugs have been approved to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, and certain medicines and other approaches can help control behavioral symptoms. Scientists continue to develop and test possible new treatments.