2009 Alzheimer's Report

2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures," documents the multilevel impact of the disease that 5.3 million Americans are living with today, which translates into a new case of Alzheimer's every 70 seconds, by midcentury, someone will develop Alzheimer's disease every 33 seconds. As the burden of Alzheimer's disease grows, states' healthcare infrastructure will be strained; some states will see more than an 80 percent increase in residents with Alzheimer's by 2025.

Alzheimer's disease causes death, as its progression eventually prevents the individual from engaging innate abilities like moving and swallowing.

Mood and behavior changes, an early warning sign of Alzheimer's, often get misdiagnosed as depression, for example.

People 65 or older with Alzheimer's disease or dementia pay 30 percent more in out-of-pocket healthcare costs than those without such disease

Family caregiving is often a long-term prospect. At any one time, nearly a third of family caregivers have been at it for five years or longer and nearly 40 percent have been doing so for one to four years.

The annual report estimates that by 2025, the western states of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Alaska will experience growth in the number of residents with Alzheimer's of between 81 percent and 127 percent compared with 2000.