A new report finds that one in every three seniors now dies while suffering from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. The number of deaths caused by Alzheimer’s increased by a staggering 68 percent from 2000-2010, while deaths from diseases such as HIV, heart disease and cancer declined.

The report, released by the Alzheimer’s Association, is the latest to document the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias in seniors today.

“Alzheimer’s disease is a public health crisis that is here,” said Beth Kallmyer, vice president of constituent services for the Alzheimer’s Association. “One in three seniors is dying with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. For other major diseases, the death rate is going down because the federal government funds and invests in research. We have not seen that same commitment for Alzheimer’s disease.”

In 2010, Alzheimer’s disease was reported as the underlying cause of death for more than 80,000 seniors. According to the report, an estimated 450,000 people in the United States will die with Alzheimer’s this year alone. The number of deaths specifically caused by Alzheimer’s is likely to be somewhere between the officially reported number of those dying from and those dying with the disease.

Although dying with Alzheimer’s is not the same as dying from it, the disease can speed up an older individuals’ declining health by interfering with their care for other chronic illnesses, or leading to disabling injuries. The report found that 70 percent of 70-year-olds without Alzheimer’s are expected to live past their 80th birthday, while only 39 percent of 70-year-olds with dementia were likely to experience the same lifespan.

Previous research has indicated the prevalence of Alzheimer’s will triple by 2050, as America’s population ages and treatments for other diseases become more effective. The costs of caring for people with Alzheimer’s and other related dementias will soar from $203 billion this year to an estimated $1.2 trillion per year by 2050.

Read the report: 2013 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.

Alzheimer’s disease is currently the only illness in the top six causes of death that has no cure, no intervention to slow its progression, and no preventative measures for individuals to take to avert the disease. Sign ALFA’s Stop Alzheimer’s petition to end Alzheimer’s now.

Source: http://www.alfa.org/News/3057/Report-Reveals-1-in-3-Seniors-Die-with-Dementia

Previous research has linked antipsychotics with an increased risk of stroke and mortality in older adults, and a new study indicates that most seniors with dementia may be withdrawn from these medications without suffering any detrimental effects.

Seniors with dementia are often prescribed antipsychotics to treat behavioral and psychological symptoms, However, there is very little evidence to support their efficacy, and they often lead to negative side effects in addition to health risks for seniors.

Researchers from the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group assessed the safety of taking seniors suffering from dementia off prescribed antipsychotics. The team examined nine trials of dementia sufferers who were taken off of antipsychotics. The participants included 606 adults aged 65 and older, all of whom had been taking the drugs for a prolonged period. The majority of the participants resided in long-term care communities.

The researchers found that in seven of the nine trials they reviewed, the participants did not experience a deterioration of their behavior when the drugs were withdrawn.

“We have enough evidence to prevent people with dementia and [the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia] from experiencing side effects associated with antipsychotic medication. Consequently, withdrawal of chronic antipsychotic medication should be incorporated in daily practice,” said lead researcher Tom Declercq.

The overperscription of antipsychotics for seniors has become a worldwide problem. An official review in the United Kingdom reported that the needless use of antipsychotics for dementia care was widespread and was linked to 1,800 deaths per year.

In the United States, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) announced the Partnership to Improve Dementia Care, an initiative aimed at reducing the use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing home residents by 15 percent by the end of 2012. With the goal of ensuring appropriate use of antipsychotics in senior living communities, ALFA has joined with the Senate Special Committee on Aging (SCOA), as well as other stakeholders, in asking the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study examining the broad range of interventions and protocols employed by senior living providers to reduce the unnecessary use of psychotropic medication in seniors.

Read the full report: Withdrawal Versus Continuation of Chronic Antipsychotic Drugs for Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms in Older People with Dementia.

Source: http://www.alfa.org/News/3083/Most-Seniors-with-Dementia-Should-be-Weaned-off-Antipsychotics%2C-Study-Says

New research has found that stress-induced hormones produced by the brain can increase an individual’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and accelerate the development of Alzheimer’s in individuals already suffering from the disease.

While previous reports have linked elevated levels of stress with an increased risk in an individual developing dementia, this study is the first to discover the precise mechanism that causes stress-induced Alzheimer’s disease.

When the brain is stressed, it produces steroids that can inhibit general brain activity. One of such steroids, allopregnanolon, was the subject of a study led by Swedish researcher Sara K. Bengtsson.

In order to test how and why stress can lead to dementia later in life, the research team conducted a laboratory experiment on mice genetically predisposed to developing Alzheimer’s disease. The mice were treated chronically with elevated allopregnanolone levels, comparable to those caused by mild stress. After a period of no steroid treatment, the mice were tested for learning and memory.

The mice with elevated levels of the stress steroid experienced impaired memory and learning in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s development, when they normally would not display these symptoms. The brains of the mice also displayed higher levels of beta-amyloids, proteins that form plaques between nerve cells in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers noted that a similar acceleration of Alzheimer’s disease in humans due to chronic stress could mean the difference between living independently and requiring professional care.

Bengtsson concluded that allopregnanolone is an important link in the mechanism behind stress-induced Alzheimer’s disease, but that further studies would be required to uncover the full extent of its influence.

Read the study abstract: Stress Steroids as Accelerators of Alzheimer’s Disease- Effects of Chronically Elevated Levels of Allopregnanolone in Transgenic AD Models.

Source: http://www.alfa.org/News/3058/Chronic-Stress-May-Lead-to-Alzheimers-Disease%2C-Study-Says

A new study has found that more than one out of every seven cases of Alzheimer’s disease could be prevented by increasing the amount of physical activity an individual performs. The research finds that as little as 30 minutes of light exercise can lower the risk of an individual developing Alzheimer’s.

Hoping to shed light on non-pharmaceutical based Alzheimer’s disease interventions, a team of researchers from the Ontario Brain Institute reviewed 871 research articles on exercise and Alzheimer’s conducted over the last 50 years. They then closely examined the 45 most comprehensive studies, pooling the data for their analysis.

The researchers found that in seniors without Alzheimer’s disease, physically individuals active were nearly 40 percent less likely to develop the disease compared to those who were inactive. The authors also found that physical activity can improve the quality of life for individuals already suffering from Alzheimer’s. A meta-analysis of four studies showed strong evidence that an increase in physical activity in Alzheimer’s sufferers can improve their ability to perform activities of daily living. Regular exercise also reduced the prevalence of depression in these individuals.

While previous studies have shown that exercise may prevent and slow progression of Alzheimer’s, this research indicates that even light or moderate physical activities, such as household chores or walking, can accomplish the same results. The authors hope further research will be conducted to determine the precise optimal amount of exercise for preventing Alzheimer’s.

Read the study: The Role of Physical Activity in the Prevention and Management of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Source: http://www.alfa.org/News/3046/Physical-Activity-Can-Prevent-1-in-7-Alzheimers-Diagnoses

New research has found that stress-induced hormones produced by the brain can increase an individual’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and accelerate the development of Alzheimer’s in individuals already suffering from the disease.

While previous reports have linked elevated levels of stress with an increased risk in an individual developing dementia, this study is the first to discover the precise mechanism that causes stress-induced Alzheimer’s disease.

When the brain is stressed, it produces steroids that can inhibit general brain activity. One of such steroids, allopregnanolon, was the subject of a study led by Swedish researcher Sara K. Bengtsson.

In order to test how and why stress can lead to dementia later in life, the research team conducted a laboratory experiment on mice genetically predisposed to developing Alzheimer’s disease. The mice were treated chronically with elevated allopregnanolone levels, comparable to those caused by mild stress. After a period of no steroid treatment, the mice were tested for learning and memory.

The mice with elevated levels of the stress steroid experienced impaired memory and learning in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s development, when they normally would not display these symptoms. The brains of the mice also displayed higher levels of beta-amyloids, proteins that form plaques between nerve cells in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers noted that a similar acceleration of Alzheimer’s disease in humans due to chronic stress could mean the difference between living independently and requiring professional care.

Bengtsson concluded that allopregnanolone is an important link in the mechanism behind stress-induced Alzheimer’s disease, but that further studies would be required to uncover the full extent of its influence.

Read the study abstract: Stress Steroids as Accelerators of Alzheimer’s Disease- Effects of Chronically Elevated Levels of Allopregnanolone in Transgenic AD Models.

Source: http://www.alfa.org/News/3058/Chronic-Stress-May-Lead-to-Alzheimers-Disease%2C-Study-Says

Social isolation is associated with a higher risk of death in older people regardless of whether they consider themselves lonely, research suggests.

A study of 6,500 UK men and women aged over 52 found that being isolated from family and friends was linked with a 26% higher death risk over seven years.

Whether or not participants felt lonely did not alter the impact of social isolation on health.

Age UK says cuts to services for older people are compounding the problem.

It is not the first time that loneliness and social isolation has been linked with poor health.

But researchers wanted to find out if it was the emotional aspect of feeling lonely that was having an impact or the reality of having little social contact.

Those who were socially isolated – that is had little or no contact with friends or family – were more likely to be older and unmarried and have long-standing illnesses limiting their mobility, such as lung disease and arthritis.

People who described themselves as feeling lonely were more likely to be female and have a wider range of health conditions, including depression.

‘Surprise’ findings

Both social isolation and feeling lonely were associated with a higher chance of death.

But after adjusting for factors such as underlying health conditions, only social isolation remained important.

That risk did not change when researchers added in whether or not someone felt lonely in their isolation.

Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers said they were surprised by their findings.

Study leader Prof Andrew Steptoe, director of the Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care at University College London, said: “Social connections can provide emotional support and warmth which is important but they also provide things like advice, making sure people take their medication and provide support in helping them to do things.

“It would suggest that those practical aspects are quite important for older people’s survival.

“There’s been such an increase in people living alone. In the last 15 years, the number of 55 to 64-year-olds living alone has increased by 50%.

“And it might be that people in those circumstances aren’t looking after themselves so well.”

Michelle Mitchell, director general at Age UK, said: “This study shows more clearly than before that being lonely and isolated is not only miserable, it is a real health risk, increasing the risk of early death.”

She added that cuts to local authority budget cuts may exacerbate the problem of isolation for many older people.

“Across the country day care centres, often the only regular social life that many older people enjoy, are closing, social care support which can enable older people to leave the house is being cut down to the bare minimum, and too many older people are hidden behind closed doors struggling to cope.”

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21929197

Chris Hollister, a leader and entrepreneur in the field of assisted living, has seen the industry—and its leadership—evolve throughout his extensive career. His resume includes co-founding assisted living chain Southern Assisted Living in 1995 and serving as CEO until 2006, when the business was sold to Brookdale Senior Living.

Even adjusting for factors like age, socioeconomic factors, and initial cognitive functioning, researchers found that feelings of loneliness increased the odds of an older adult developing dementia by 64 percent.

The research, conducted over the course of three years on more than 2,000 seniors living outside of a long term care setting, found that loneliness was significant predicator of dementia. Nearly half of the study participants lived alone and about 75 percent said that they had no social support. One in five participants also reported feeling lonely.

Over the course of the study, 9.3 percent of those living alone developed dementia and 5.6 percent of those living with another person had developed dementia. When controlling for other variables, researchers concluded that social isolation was not a strong predicator of dementia, but feelings of loneliness was a significant predicator. Those who had reported feeling lonely were 250 percent more likely to have developed dementia than their not lonely peers. When researchers adjusted for other factors, lonely individuals were still 64 percent more likely to develop dementia.

“These results suggest that feelings of loneliness independently contribute to the risk of dementia in later life,” the researchers say in the study. “Interestingly, the fact that ‘feeling lonely’ rather than ‘being alone’ was associated with dementia onset suggests that it is not the objective situation, but, rather, the perceived absence of social attachments that increases the risk of cognitive decline.”

Read the article: Loneliness Linked With Dementia Risk or purchase the full research paper: Feelings Of Loneliness, But Not Social Isolation, Predict Dementia Onset: Results From The Amsterdam Study Of The Elderly (AMSTEL).

Source: http://www.alfa.org/News/2907/Loneliness-Increases-Odds-Of-Dementia%2C-Study-Says

A new study has identified cognitive problems of people beginning to develop Alzheimer’s disease before more severe symptoms begin to show.

A group of researchers has published a study that opens new possibilities of early detection and intervention of Alzheimer’s diseasein healthcare settings. The researchers, led by Terry Goldberg, PhD, devised a test designed to identify problems with a person’s ability to process semantic or knowledge based information. The study included 70 cognitively healthy participants, 27 individuals suffering from mild or moderate Alzheimer’s disease, and 25 participants diagnose with mild cognitive impairment, which is believed to be a precursor for Alzheimer’s.

Participants were shown two objects; in this instance a normal sized house and an ant. They were then asked which one of them was bigger. As expected, all individuals were able to answer the question correctly. However, when shown pictures of a small house next to a large ant, participants with mild cognitive impairment took longer to answer and were more likely to answer incorrectly than their healthy counterparts. Participants suffering from Alzheimer’s disease fared the worst of the three groups.

The researchers believe their results demonstrate the cognitive decline cause by Alzheimer’s extends to semantic memory, which has more to do with remembering facts and concepts and underlies a basic understanding of how things works. Dr. Goldberg remarked that the results indicate “that something is slowing down the patient and it is not episodic memory but semantic memory.”

This indicates that individuals who are only beginning to develop the disease will already experience problems processing semantic and knowledge based information, before more obvious symptoms begin showing. The researchers will continue to study the participants over time to further detail these symptoms.

Read the article: Alzheimer’s Disease Early Cognitive Problems Identified or purchase the full research paper: Semantic Distance Abnormalities in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Their Nature and Relationship to Function.

Source: http://www.alfa.org/News/2923/Study-Reveals-Early-Indicators-of-Alzheimers

As the population of the United States ages, the number of seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to triple by 2050, according to a new study. The amount of Americans affected by the disease is projected to reach 13.8 million – millions more than previously anticipated.

Hoping to more clearly define previous Alzheimer’s projections, a team of researchers from the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging in Chicago conducted a study of 10,802 seniors aged 65 or older. Between 1993 and 2011, the participants were interviewed and assessed for symptoms of dementia once every three years. 402 of the study participants were newly identified with Alzheimer’s during the study period, a number that increased with advanced age.

After taking into account compounding factors, such as level of education, race and age, the authors then combined the data with US death rates, education and current/future population estimates from the US Census Bureau. They calculated that 13.8 million Americans will be affected by Alzheimer’s disease by the year 2050. This figure includes 1.3 million people between the ages of 65 and 74, 5.4 million 75- to 84-year-olds, and 7 million seniors aged 85 or older.

“It will place a huge burden on society, disabling more people who develop the disease, challenging their caregivers and straining medical and social safety nets,” said Jennifer Weuve, an assistant professor of medicine and one of the study’s contributing authors.

The authors stressed the need for further research into the prevention of the disease. Alzheimer’s remains the only disease among the top six causes of death in the United States for which there is no prevention, cure or treatment. If scientists are unable to develop a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, the economic toll alone would be enormous. Experts estimate the cost to care for all of the people suffering from Alzheimer’s would exceed $1 trillion annually.

Read the full study: Alzheimer’s Disease in the United States (2010–2050) Estimated Using the 2010 Census.

Sign ALFA’s Stop Alzheimer’s petition.

Source: http://www.alfa.org/News/3006/Study-Says-Alzheimers-Epidemic-to-Hit-U.S.-by-2050