Most people assume Alzheimer’s disease develops at or near the end of life. Unfortunately this assumption is not always the reality. A recent 2009 report found that 200,000 Americans live with early Alzheimer’s. (John McKenzie and Peter Martinez, Est. 200,000 Americans Living with Early Alzheimer’s—and They Have Not Hit 65, available at http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=8230700). The ABC News report offered the example of Jay Jones:
At the Social Security Administration hearing in Chicago held at the end of July, he spoke on what its like to live with Alzheimer’s at a young age. At forty six, he and his wife began noticing his personality changes, agitation, nervousness, and forgetfulness. His wife recalled that his routines begin changing and she knew it was time to take him to the family physician. The physician diagnosed Jay’s symptoms as related to job stress. Over the next three years, however, his symptoms became more severe, and at age forty nine a neurologist diagnosed him with Alzheimer’s disease.
Jay Jones’s diagnosis is not typical of the estimated 5.3 million Americans with Alzheimer’s (every 70 seconds another person is diagnosed with the disease). However, in addition to the number of Americans under the age of sixty five have developed the early onset stages of Alzheimer’s, there are another 500,000 Americans under the age of sixty five diagnosed with some form of dementia. While it is understood how difficult the symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s are to both the victims and their family members, the victimization of younger Americans is even more devastating. Many families try to provide as much care as possible at home, but eventually the disease takes over and the individual needs specialized assistance in a nursing home or professional care facility.
As the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease among younger Americans increases, it is important for individuals to set up their finances and powers of attorney early in their lives, ensuring that their and wants and needs are taken care of when they are unable to do so. Alzheimer’s disease can triple a victim’s health care costs. So it is vital to know early on the available government options that can help curb the costs. Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or even for slowing its symptoms. The report notes that the FDA has only approved five drugs that help slow the worsening of symptoms for about six to twelve months in about half of the patients who take them. Referring back to Jay Jones three years after being diagnosed with the disease, the report evidenced what most always happens, finding the symptoms had worsened. However, the family adopted strategies to help him adapt to the disease. His schedule was completely rearranged, like placing him in the kitchen every morning. Of course none of it was enough to cure his usual forgetfulness. According to Jay, the hardest part for him was to fade away from his six year old daughter, ‘I think about her all the time. How long I’m going to be able to be with her.”
Those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease can stay positive knowing the Alzheimer’s Association continues its research for a cure, and has also begun to develop support strategies for family care-givers. This fall, as in past years, the Alzheimer’s Association is raising money to help live in a world Alzheimer’s free by hosting Memory Walks. There are thousands of teams formed in every state and to learn more about how you can be involved visit the site: http://www.alz.org/index.asp.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and to access the 2009 publication, visit http://www.alz.org/national/documents/report_alzfactsfigures2009.pdf.
To learn more about planning for a future with Alzheimer’s or any other disability, please visit our website at: http://www.nc-law.com.
Whitney Perry, Elon University Law School student and summer intern at Booth Harrington & Johns of NC, PLLC, provided research and writing assistance in developing this blog article.
Alzheimer’s disease among younger Americans increases, it is important for individuals to set up their finances and powers of attorney early in their lives, ensuring that their and wants and needs are taken care of when they are unable to do so.
Posted by: hautkrebs | September 30, 2009 at 03:24 AM