World Alzheimer's Day - Ayusmart's Guide to Healthcare Sucess

World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21st of each year, is a day on which Alzheimer’s organizations around the world come together and take up initiatives to spread awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia.

That being said, one of the first steps towards minimizing the causes and effects of Alzheimer’s disease is to be informed about the condition. Therefore, we have put together a list of facts, figures, and data that will provide you with a better understanding of the disease that affects old people, that is Alzheimer’s.

The number of people living with Alzheimer’s in the world is projected to nearly double every 20 years, increasing to 74.7 million by 2030 and 131.5 million by 2050.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s. It only worsens as it progresses, eventually leading to death.

Patients suffering from the disease tend to survive for a period anywhere from 8 years to 20 years.

Alzheimer’s disease leads to nerve cell death and tissue loss throughout the brain. Over time, the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly all its functions.

As Alzheimer’s progresses, individuals may experience changes in personality and behavior.

1 in 10 people aged 65 or older is likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

1 in 3 people dies of Alzheimer’s or another form of Dementia.

India has an ever-growing elderly population, out of which 1.6 million are suffering from Alzheimer’s.

India has the lowest rate of the disease in the world – about 4.4 times less among adults aged 70-79 than the rate in the United States.

In a majority of the cases, the cause of Alzheimer’s is believed to be genetic.

According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, women are twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s as compared to men.

It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.

Since the 2000s, death from heart disease has decreased by 18% whereas deaths from Alzheimer’s disease has increased by 89%.

Curcumin, commonly known as haldi in India, helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s as curcumin inhibits the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids — inert substances responsible for Alzheimer’s — in the brain. (Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol 280, No 11).

Some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s include:

Trouble completing tasks that were once easy.

Difficulty solving problems.

Changes in mood or personality; withdrawing from friends and family.

Problems with communication, either written or spoken.

Confusion about places, people, and events.

Visual changes, such trouble understanding images.

One can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by:

Regular exercise.

Healthy diet.

Being socially active.

Managing stress properly.