MUST READS

In Case You Missed It: An April 13, 2016 The Washington Post opinion piece by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s patient advocate and partner Greg O’Brien highlighted his efforts to document his life with Alzheimer’s. According to O’Brien, “My life has become a race for survival against Alzheimer’s, and I’m not the only one. More than 5 million Americans suffer from from this demon of a disease, a number expected to double in the next 20 years as my fellow baby boomers reach the age of its onset. Treating Alzheimer’s in the United States now costs more than $200 billion a year. By 2050, that will surpass $1 trillion…The Irish like to say: Never get mad, get even! By documenting it, I’m getting even with Alzheimer’s. But I cannot do it alone, and I do not know how much time I have left before the lights go out. If we are going to win this fight, we need to grapple with the scope of the problem and try harder to cure it. Not for me — the train has already left — but for my children, and for you and your children and for my whole generation and their families and loved ones, who will face this prowling demon soon enough.”

A May 7, 2016 The Economist article highlighted the impact of aging societies on global health systems. According to the article, “THE forecasts are clear: by 2050 the number of people aged over 80 will have doubled in OECD countries, and their share of the population will rise from 3.9% to 9.1%. Around half will probably need help with daily tasks—particularly those with enduring chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease and osteoporosis. Health systems designed only to offer hospital care for acute cases will struggle to provide such support.”

A May 5, 2016 Mainstream.com article reported that a survey from Genworth found that “70% of people over 65 will need long-term care.” According to the article, “However, based on a survey of wealthy investors by financial firm UBS Wealth Management, 77% have not set funds aside for future medical expenses, and just 8% have received advice on managing future healthcare costs.”

A May 5, 2016 Boston Business Journal article reported that a startup called BrainSpec “aims to diagnose brain disease in minutes rather than days.” According to the article, “The company, called BrainSpec, is built off a technology called MR Spectroscopy. It uses an MRI to measure different chemicals in the brain. While MRIs have been used for years to do this sort of virtual biopsy, the outputs are exceedingly difficult to read and must be read using the machine, which costs $500 an hour. Spectroscopy personnel are so overwhelmed with demand that it now takes two to three days to analyze a patient.”