The Alzheimer's Association has released their annual Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report and has revealed that the disease costs an estimated $200 billion each year in America. According to the Alzheimer's Association's William Thies, about one in seven patients also lives alone and could have insufficient care.
"People become isolated, lose a spouse, or may choose to live alone in later life," Thies tells WebMd.com.
Those living alone are much more likely to go undiagnosed and suffer dangerous accidents due to the illness. For those who have been diagnosed, however, Thies says medical advancements for Alzheimer's are moving quickly:
"Much hope is pinned on early diagnosis and the development of disease-modifying medications that can change the underlying course of the disease," Thies says. "This is exciting because it opens up the possibility that we can identify Alzheimer's disease before someone gets it and treat it to avoid stage later stages of dementia that are so disabling and costly."
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