Everything Elderly - Which top 10 cause of death can't be prevented, cured or even slowed down?
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in this country. It is the only top 10 cause of death that can’t be prevented, cured or even slowed.
That's the message shared by our program guest Jennifer Howard, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter.
According to facts and figures released this past week by the association, the number of deaths due to Alzheimer’s increased 66 percent in the last decade. Almost 5.5 million Americans now have the disease.
The population in this country is aging, and the number one risk factor for Alzheimer’s is age. Those two facts mean that if present trends continue, 16 million Americans will have the disease by 2050.
Alzheimer’s is the top cause of non-treatable dementia. It’s a progressive, degenerative disease that slowly kills the neurons in the brain.
It does not just affect those with the disease. Family caregivers are hugely affected. Last year, caregivers provided 17 billion hours of unpaid assistance to those with Alzheimer’s.
Jennifer Howard with the Great Lakes Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
Howard is optimistic that Alzheimer’s disease is beatable. There are numerous research initiatives under way, but the funding needs to increase if significant progress is to be made in the near future.
To listen to the 12-minute discussion click the audio link below:
If you would like to contact Jennifer Howard or the Alzheimer’s Association, call 734-475-7043 or go to alz.org/mglc.
Dale Leslie with the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor.
Photos by Sheila Doeden
We also spoke with Dale Leslie this week. Dale is a longtime member and past president of the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor. Kiwanis is a service club that works to help young people.
The weekly Kiwanis Thrift Sale is the club’s primary fundraising channel. The sale is every Saturday morning, from 9 a.m. to noon. The sale takes place in the Kiwanis Activity Center at First and Washington in downtown Ann Arbor.
It’s a department store on multiple floors with a huge assortment of merchandise. The proceeds fund numerous local charities and help local families.
The thrift sale is really a win-win-win, where those donating, those shopping, and the Ann Arbor community all benefit.
The store is staffed by club members and volunteers. While most are seniors, there are opportunities to help for those young and old. The weekly sale has a great atmosphere, and is a very welcoming community happening.
Dale shared some funny stories about the sale, including the farmer who bought 25 bowling balls to use for entertainment and exercise for his pigs.
To listen to the 12-minute talk click the audio link below:
To get in touch with Dale Leslie or the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor, call 734-665-0450, or visit the website aakiwanis.org.
Alan Caldwell and Sheila Doeden co-host Everything Elderly every Saturday morning at 8:30 on 1290 WLBY. In their day jobs, Alan and Sheila co-own and co-manage Senior Helpers, providing in-home care services, primarily to the elderly. Both can be contacted at homecareexcellence@seniorhelpers.com, or at 734-927-3111.
Comments
REBBAPRAGADA
Sat, Mar 26, 2011 : 5:41 p.m.
In John Milton's epic poem of Paradise Lost, Adam had asked Angel Michael a question that may provide an answer to this problem experienced during the aging process of man. Adam aks,:"But is there yet no other way, besides these painful passages, how we may come to Death, and mix with our connatural dust? There is, said Michael, if thou well observe the Rule of not too much, by temperance taught... " Just like John Milton, I tend to think that man can live until ripe old age if he observes The Law of Temperance. We should not ignore practical words of wisdom which are products of collective experience and shared observations.
Ann English
Mon, Mar 21, 2011 : 11:17 p.m.
The headline could mislead readers into thinking that people with Alzheimer's all take the same amount of time to die from it, if not from something else in the meantime.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Mar 21, 2011 : 2:36 p.m.
I would add that it is misleading to say the disease cannot be slowed down. There are some drugs that show promise in many but certainly not all patients to slow the progression for a period of time. <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers/AZ00015" rel='nofollow'>http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers/AZ00015</a>
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Mar 21, 2011 : 2:32 p.m.
My mom had Alzheimer when she died, of congestive heart failure. A minor technicality but in my understanding most folks with Alzheimer die from related complications, but the actual direct cause of death is not the disease itself.
Gordon
Mon, Mar 21, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.
Could have had a better headline since the present is potentilly mis-leading. Expectation would be the other '9' causes of deathe would have been listed or 'A' would have been the only one. Good article otherwise.