Alzheimer’s “epidemic” now a greater threat to the elderly

Figures released this week by the Alzheimer’s Association how that deaths from the disease increased by a stunning 68 percent between 2000 and 2010, and it is now currently the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. Alzheimer’s is considered to be the primary cause of dementia, and while more than five million people have the disease now, that number could more than double to 14 million by 2050. The reason why the numbers are skyrocketing is because as treatment for heart disease and various cancers improve, people are living longer lives. Where people might have died before succumbing to Alzheimer’s, now anybody predisposed to the disease has a much better chance of getting it. It is a disease that has no cure and often leaves those who have it unable to care for themselves.