| Dementia is a subject that most people try to avoid. | | | | the Baby Boomer generation on the verge of |
| Just the thought of memory loss - in a loved one, | | | | retirement, we are now looking at a shift to an even |
| friend, co-worker or, worse yet, ourselves -- makes | | | | older society. There are about 77 million in the baby |
| us terribly uncomfortable. Unless we are confronted | | | | boomer generation. By the year 2030, these men |
| directly with dementia, we prefer to think of it as | | | | and women will make up approximately 20% of the |
| "someone else's problem." But dementia - one of the | | | | total U.S. population. As a result, health experts |
| world's fastest growing diseases -- won't go away | | | | currently estimate that at least 10 million Baby |
| and it is fast becoming "everyone's problem." A look | | | | Boomers will develop Alzheimer's. The news for older |
| at the facts and statistics surrounding dementia | | | | Baby Boomer females is even bleaker as about |
| clearly show that it is a massive issue, possibly a | | | | one-in-six females over the age of 55 could develop |
| medical catastrophe in the making, with no easy | | | | Alzheimer's. Why do more women than men get |
| solution. Indeed, the numbers and statistics | | | | Alzheimer's? It's not anything genetic. It is simply that |
| surrounding dementia are staggering. Worldwide, | | | | women traditionally live longer (by about five years in |
| there are now an estimated 24 million people living | | | | the U.S), so it becomes basically a numbers game. |
| with some form of dementia. Without a major | | | | The statistics surrounding dementia are sobering. If |
| medical breakthrough in the fight against dementia, | | | | you do not currently know someone with memory |
| this number could jump to as many as 84 million who | | | | loss -- a family member, friend, neighbor or |
| have age-related memory loss by the year 2040. | | | | co-worker -- then you most certainly will know |
| Although there are a number of forms of dementia, | | | | someone in the near future. There are two risk |
| Alzheimer's is the most common, and most | | | | factors for dementia, genetics and aging, and neither |
| well-known, of the age-related memory loss diseases. | | | | of these factors can be controlled. While time and |
| Currently, more than five million Americans suffer | | | | money is being funneled into Alzheimer's and |
| from Alzheimer's, and it is the seventh leading cause | | | | dementia research, there is no "magic bullet" solution. |
| of death in the U.S. About 13% of Americans over | | | | Currently, there are several "disease-modifying |
| the age of 65 have Alzheimer's and half of those | | | | therapies" in development that may offer temporary |
| over age 85 will develop Alzheimer's -- or a closely | | | | slowing of disease progression or even restore |
| related dementia. Health analysts estimate that in just | | | | cognitive function. However, it may take years |
| five years the number of Americans with Alzheimer's | | | | before these therapies are available to the general |
| will jump to 7.7 million and by 2050 the number is | | | | public. The best approach is to adopt a proactive |
| projected to more than double to 16 million. So why | | | | brain health lifestyle today. And, if a loved one or you |
| is this disease growing so rapidly? Simply put, our | | | | is experiencing any signs of cognitive loss then you |
| population is "graying" and our citizens are living much | | | | should visit your health care professional immediately. |
| longer than any previous generation. In fact, the | | | | For more information about brain health and |
| fastest growing segment of our population is the | | | | dementia, visit us online at or contact the Brain |
| over 80 age group, and the odds of becoming | | | | Longevity Center at 805-497-7274. The Brain |
| demented for the very elderly are much higher. | | | | Longevity Center is a medical facility that offers |
| Another aspect to our changing population is how | | | | proactive programs for those with mild-to-moderate |
| quickly this change has taken place. A person born in | | | | dementia and those seeking to maintain a healthy |
| 1900 could reasonably hope to reach about the age | | | | brain as they age. ***Health and dementia statistics |
| of 50 - the average life expectancy was just 47 | | | | are from the Alzheimer's Association, the National |
| years. However, over the course of the last century | | | | Center for Health Statistics and the Center for |
| a number of factors, such as medical advances, | | | | Disease Control. |
| widespread access to health care, improved | | | | Dr. Label is the founder and director of the Brain |
| sanitation and better nutrition have had a tremendous | | | | Longevity Center in Thousand Oaks, CA. A |
| impact on how long we live. Consequently, the | | | | board-certified neurologist, Dr. Label is trained in |
| average life expectancy for both men and women in | | | | traditional Western and Eastern medicines and he |
| the U.S. today is 77 years of age. That's an incredible | | | | incorporates complementary techniques into his |
| increase of 30 years in just one century. And, with | | | | practice. |