The Facts
The Growing Epidemic
Alzheimer's disease is the health care crisis of our generation - and our children's. Ten million baby boomers will die of this disease absent a treatment that slows or prevents Alzheimer's. Children of the baby boomers will care for their parents and experience the emotional and financial burden of this disease. One in eight over 65 have the disease; one in two over 85 have the disease. Each of those victims has at least two persons caring for them. More
The Cost to Our Children
There is overwhelming evidence of a spiraling epidemic in this country, but Congress doesn't seem to be reading the signs. We currently invest nearly 400 times more money caring for Alzheimer's patients than we do researching cures and treatments for the disease, according to the 2009 Alzheimer's Study Group Report. Unless a cure or treatment is found, the cumulative cost to care for Americans with the disease over the next 10 years will be $2 trillion and over 40 years will amount to $20.4 trillion. The costs - and stakes - have never been higher for this generation, or the next. More
The Promise of Research
It may seem hopeless, but it isn’t; we can stop this deadly disease. Researchers say we can find a cure for the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death by 202020, but only with sustained and targeted investment in research. And only if we act today - NOW! More
The Impact of Inaction
Today it is estimated that more than 36 million people worldwide are afflicted with Alzheimer’s25 - including 5.4 million Americans.26 In 40 years, this number is expected to almost triple to a staggering 13.5 million in the U.S. alone.27 That’s more than 100 million estimated cases worldwide. More
What Congress is Doing
It may seem hopeless, but it isn’t. We can stop the clock on this deadly disease. Researchers say we can find a cure for the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death,31 but only with the necessary funding for research. Right now, your lawmakers in Congress are considering legislation to fund research to stop Alzheimer’s, before time runs out for millions of American families. More
