How widespread is Alzheimer’s disease?
Everyone has heard of Alzheimer’s disease, but many people assume it is confined to a small percentage of the oldest old. In reality, this is a misconception.
The Alzheimer’s Association is a great source of information about this terrible disease. According to research that they cite, approximately 10 percent of all seniors have contracted Alzheimer’s, and the number goes up to 32 percent for people 85 years of age and older.
As of 2021, 6 billion people have Alzheimer’s, and the number is expected to grow to 13 million by 2050. This is because the population is aging due to the maturation of the baby boomer generation.
These are some attention-getting statistics, and Alzheimer’s is not the only cause of dementia.