It's the Overall that Matters

From all of the research, the sources, the blogs, the numbers, and the final understanding of what it is that society is to face in the coming future, it is clear that we are not prepared! As much as medical professionals continue to research and hunt for the cause and the cure it is evident that Alzheimer's is one of the most complicated diseases and causes of death known to mankind. It strikes who it wants, when it wants. As the world population grows older the amount of reported cases of Alzheimer's is bound to increase, no doubt about it. All we can do is prepare ourselves for the financial burden the economy will begin to face. We must develop a system in order for these patients to get the support and care that each will need without costing millions or billions of dollars for the economic system let alone the families. The utilization of data and abundunt services and resources available will be the key to preparing mentally and financially for medical costs surrounding the possible occurence to each of us or possibly our loved ones.

It's the Economics

The economic impact of Alzheimer's disease is not a new discussion in the world of medicine or the world in general. "AD is the third most costly disease in the US after cancer and coronary heart disease. Average annual costs of caring for patients with AD have been estimated at $80-100 billion dollars in the US." (Zhu, 2013) The cost of caring for diagnosed AD patients have been studied extensively over the years reaching back to a study conducted by Ernst and Hay in 1994. The Total cost of care combines direct, indirect, and intangible costs for a patient. Direct costs refer to the medical costs including physician visits, hospitalizations, medications, and nursing home care. The indirect costs refer to the "the imputed values of resources lost due to illness, including premature deaths, patient and caregiver lost productivity, and unpaid caregiving time." (Zhu, 2013) The intangible costs take into account the pain and suffering by patients and family members and the deterioration in the quality of life for the patient and caregiver. The intangible costs are rarely taken into account my any scientifical studies or research due to the controversy surrounding the real worth. 

The following link provides almost all possible information and explanation in regards to the economic impact of alzheimer's including links to studies already conducted from which it takes much of its numerical information. 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2695165/

Support Services

The most unfortunate part of Alzheimer's disease is it can sneak up on any person at anytime! The disease can start to take over the brain many years before symptoms become evident. It often strikes extremely healthy and active individuals to rob them of their ability to complete even the simplest of tasks.
It takes an extreme amount of time, money, patience, and willingness to care for an alzheimer's patient.
By learning how to make changes in the caring atmosphere it can overall improve the quality of life for both the patient and as a caregiver. The following article provides the "How to Manage": Tips for managing Alzheimer's symptoms and common problems. From wandering to eating it explains many common problems that may arrise that one should be aware of as well as providing what-to-do's in each case.
http://www.helpguide.org/elder/alzheimers_behavior_problems.htm

The Alzheimer's Association is the best source of information for any person; patient, caregiver, family member, any person aware and looking for answers and information about Alzheimer's disease. It provides important information in regards to caregiver support services including Educational seminars aimed for both in-home caregivers as well as workplace seminars. It provides other resource information such as a "Resource Guide for Planning the Care of Aging Loved Ones" and information for caregiver support groups in your area.
Alzheimer's Association also provides what is known as "Respite Care" which allows families in the position of caring for a loved one the chance to relieve them of their responsibilities during major times of need. Whether it be In-home care, which when approved can provide care for up to 20 hours a year free of charge. As well as day programs and overnight programs for which they cover a portion of the charges or will allow patient stay at one of the extensively trained Alzheimer's facilities.

Hindrance on the Economy

What is attached to any and every medical phenomenon or problem? MONEY! It takes money to research, it takes money to treat, and it takes money to care for those suffering. Currently it is "costing the U.S. about $200 billion a year to care for people afflicted with Alzheimer’s." (Wurtzel, 2013) If the number of patients is supposed to increase more and more over the years then it is almost guarenteed that this $200 billion dollars will sky-rocket in coming decades. This number does not by any means take into the account the 17 billion dollars of unpaid care provided by family and friends! In the year 2011 Obama signed the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) into law. This will establish a crucial plan to address the crisis and increase in Alzheimer's occurences. It will coordinate a response and economical plan on the fronts for research, care, and support services. 
This does not take into account the personal sacrafices of money and time it takes to care for anyone with alzheimer's in any stage. 

No cure No recovery

All of my own research and findings have led me to believe that Alzheimer's may be one of the most complex diseases that could affect the older aged population. It is complex in its entirety; from what causes it, how it works, and any possible ideas on how it could be stopped from affecting so many people. Of the top six causes of death in the US, alzheimer's is the only with no cure or even a chance for recovery. Other examples including AIDS, breast cancer, stroke, and heart disease have seen decreasing numbers over the past many years. "Alzheimer’s-related deaths just keep on rising, making it the greatest threat to the health of our citizens and the future of our economy." (Wurtzel, 2013) 
Numbers are rising and deaths caused by the final stages and decay of the brain continue. 

It's Rising

The following article found as a blog called "Dating Dementia" goes over what is expected of the disease in the coming years! My initial reaction being what the hell!

               "It’s worse than we thought.  Without a cure or an effective way of slowing the          

               progression of Alzheimer’s disease, our nation will face staggering consequences, 

               according to a widely-circulated study published recently by the Rush Institute for 

               Healthy Aging.

               The study followed 10,802 seniors, aged 65 or older, from 1993 to 2011.  Every three
               years the participants were assessed for signs of dementia, and over 400 of the seniors
               developed Alzheimer’s disease during the study.  As a result of the landmark study, and
               taking into account the aging baby boomer population that will probably outlive
               previous generations, there are some new and disturbing Alzheimer’s statistics.

               The most important figure from the study is the estimation that the number of people 
               living with dementia in the U.S. could reach 13.8 million by the year 2050.  That figure 
               is triple the number of affected in 2010, which was 4.7 million."

If the disease is expected to become this bad then what the hell are we doing! Why is it that researchers and scientists have yet to find out what causes the disease? Why is it that there has been nothing formulated to stop the development of the disease? 

Full article:

http://www.datingdementia.com/2013/03/18/what-the-alzheimers-numbers-really-mean/?goback=%2Egde_2230667_member_224011871

Alcohol and Alzheimer's

Is it true that alcohol may be a “protective agent” against the development of Alzheimer’s? There are no absolute links between the use of one and the effect on the other. Many studies have been done in search for a link in 3 of which it was found that drinking led to an increase of AD (Alzheimer’s Disease). Another 7 of them suggested that drinking alcohol led to a decrease in the risk of AD. But there are 9 studies according to an article on aging and mental health that reported alcohol had no impact. Without clear consistency and proof of efficacy there is no way to measure or represent the effect without severe limitations.
With Alzheimer’s being a disease caused by the dysfunction of the brain by the development and addition of abnormal clumps, plaques, and proteins, it is hard to imagine that alcohol will help. Alcohol itself is a depressant that can block some of the messages trying to get to the brain.