Every 70 seconds, someone develops the devastating disease known as Alzheimer’s.
For the 5 million Americans living with this progressive and ultimately fatal brain disease, everyday life is a challenge. Alzheimer’s robs a person of his memory, his cognitive abilities, and ultimately of his bodily functions and identity. For the family members who must witness and care for a person in the declining years of the illness, there is a very heavy financial and emotional price to pay.
There is no cure for this disease, and even the few treatments available can only temporarily relieve its symptoms. As a result, the outlook for a person diagnosed with the illness is grim indeed. While Alzheimer’s can afflict people as early as their 30s, 40s, or 50s, it generally appears after the age of 65.
Until recently, millions of Americans living with this disease and their families suffered silently in a nation that misunderstood the tragedy of Alzheimer’s and dementia. It was once thought that dementia was a normal part of the aging process, rather than the serious disease it is.
In 1994, the courage of one family changed the public face of Alzheimer’s. In a letter to the American people, Ronald Reagan announced he was one of the millions of Americans living with the disease. With this selfless act, the former President and his wife, Nancy, increased public awareness of Alzheimer’s and increased awareness of the need for research into its causes and prevention.
Even before he learned of his own fate, President Reagan helped to launch a national campaign against Alzheimer’s disease in 1983, calling members of the Alzheimer's Association to the White House for the signing of a proclamation declaring November to be National Alzheimer’s Disease Month.
This designation gives us a special opportunity during this month to recognize those living with the disease, honor their caregivers, and draw attention to the need for additional research.
Public awareness continues to be key in the fight against Alzheimer’s. In 2004, my colleague Senator Mikulski and I introduced legislation in honor of Ronald Reagan, a living tribute to the courage of our 40th President. The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act called for a federal commitment to increase research for Alzheimer’s and increase assistance to patients and their families.
Five years later, we have reintroduced the bill and are more determined than ever to pass it. The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act doubles funding for Alzheimer’s research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to $2 billion and makes Alzheimer’s research a priority at NIH. The bill also provides support for families by providing caregivers with the vital resources and tools to assist them. The legislation has bipartisan support.
As baby boomers in this country continue to age, the incidence of Alzheimer’s is expected to double every 20 years, eventually affecting 10 million in that generation.
Right here in Missouri, there will be as many as 110,000 people age 65 and older who will have Alzheimer’s disease by 2010.
Because there is now no cure, and a person can live for years after the initial onset racking up increasingly expensive medical care, the future public health implications are dire. We cannot afford to wait another five years to pass the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act.
In her moving tribute to her father called The Long Goodbye, Patti Davis wrote of President Reagan and his family’s struggle with Alzheimer’s. Of the disease, she writes, “Alzheimer’s snips away at the threads, a slow unraveling, a steady retreat; as a witness all you can do is watch, cry, and whisper a soft stream of goodbyes.”
Let us do all we can to save more Americans – and their families – from this sad end.
For more information on Alzheimer’s Disease including the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s visit the Alzheimer’s Association website at www.alz.org
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Every 70 seconds, someone develops the devastating disease known as Alzheimer’s.
For the 5 million Americans living with this progressive and ultimately fatal brain disease, everyday life is a challenge. Alzheimer’s robs a person of his memory, his cognitive abilities, and ultimately of his bodily functions and identity. For the family members who must witness and care for a person in the declining years of the illness, there is a very heavy financial and emotional price to pay.
There is no cure for this disease, and even the few treatments available can only temporarily relieve its symptoms. As a result, the outlook for a person diagnosed with the illness is grim indeed. While Alzheimer’s can afflict people as early as their 30s, 40s, or 50s, it generally appears after the age of 65.
Until recently, millions of Americans living with this disease and their families suffered silently in a nation that misunderstood the tragedy of Alzheimer’s and dementia. It was once thought that dementia was a normal part of the aging process, rather than the serious disease it is.
In 1994, the courage of one family changed the public face of Alzheimer’s. In a letter to the American people, Ronald Reagan announced he was one of the millions of Americans living with the disease. With this selfless act, the former President and his wife, Nancy, increased public awareness of Alzheimer’s and increased awareness of the need for research into its causes and prevention.
Even before he learned of his own fate, President Reagan helped to launch a national campaign against Alzheimer’s disease in 1983, calling members of the Alzheimer's Association to the White House for the signing of a proclamation declaring November to be National Alzheimer’s Disease Month.
This designation gives us a special opportunity during this month to recognize those living with the disease, honor their caregivers, and draw attention to the need for additional research.
Public awareness continues to be key in the fight against Alzheimer’s. In 2004, my colleague Senator Mikulski and I introduced legislation in honor of Ronald Reagan, a living tribute to the courage of our 40th President. The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act called for a federal commitment to increase research for Alzheimer’s and increase assistance to patients and their families.
Five years later, we have reintroduced the bill and are more determined than ever to pass it. The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act doubles funding for Alzheimer’s research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to $2 billion and makes Alzheimer’s research a priority at NIH. The bill also provides support for families by providing caregivers with the vital resources and tools to assist them. The legislation has bipartisan support.
As baby boomers in this country continue to age, the incidence of Alzheimer’s is expected to double every 20 years, eventually affecting 10 million in that generation.
Right here in Missouri, there will be as many as 110,000 people age 65 and older who will have Alzheimer’s disease by 2010.
Because there is now no cure, and a person can live for years after the initial onset racking up increasingly expensive medical care, the future public health implications are dire. We cannot afford to wait another five years to pass the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act.
In her moving tribute to her father called The Long Goodbye, Patti Davis wrote of President Reagan and his family’s struggle with Alzheimer’s. Of the disease, she writes, “Alzheimer’s snips away at the threads, a slow unraveling, a steady retreat; as a witness all you can do is watch, cry, and whisper a soft stream of goodbyes.”
Let us do all we can to save more Americans – and their families – from this sad end.
For more information on Alzheimer’s Disease including the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s visit the Alzheimer’s Association website at www.alz.org
