National Catholic Forester

Winter 2017 — www.ncsf.com 9 MORTALITY ___________ $PRQJSHRSOHDJHRIWKRVHZLWK$O]KHLPHUģVDUHH[SHFWHG to die before the age of 80 compared with 30% of people without $O]KHLPHUģVġDUDWHWZLFHDVKLJK $O]KHLPHUģVGLVHDVHLVRIŅFLDOO\OLVWHGDVWKHVL[WKOHDGLQJFDXVHRI GHDWKLQWKH8QLWHG6WDWHV,WLVWKHŅIWKOHDGLQJFDXVHRIGHDWKIRU people age 65 and older. As the population of the United States ages, Alzheimer's is becoming a more common cause of death. Although GHDWKVIURPRWKHUPDMRUFDXVHVKDYHGHFUHDVHGVLJQLŅFDQWO\LQWKHODVW GHFDGHGHDWKVIURP$O]KHLPHUģVGLVHDVHKDYHLQFUHDVHGVLJQLŅFDQWO\ — 71%. In 2013, over 84,000 Americans died from Alzheimer's DFFRUGLQJWRRIŅFLDOGHDWKFHUWLŅFDWHVKRZHYHULQDQHVWLPDWHG 700,000 people with Alzheimer's will die, and the disease likely will contribute to many of those deaths. $O]KHLPHUģVLVWKHRQO\GLVHDVHDPRQJWKHWRSFDXVHVRIGHDWK in America that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. CAREGIVERS ___________ In 2015, 15.9 million family and friends provided 18.1 billion hours RIXQSDLGFDUHWRWKRVHZLWK$O]KHLPHUģVDQGRWKHUGHPHQWLDV That care had an estimated economic value of $221.3 billion. Ī$SSUR[LPDWHO\WZRWKLUGVRIFDUHJLYHUVDUHZRPHQDQGDUH age 65 or older. ĪRIFDUHJLYHUVKDYHDKRXVHKROGLQFRPHRIRUOHVV Ī2QDYHUDJHFDUHFRQWULEXWRUVORVHRYHULQDQQXDOLQFRPH as a result of reducing or quitting work to meet the demands of caregiving. Alzheimer's takes a devastating toll on caregivers. Nearly 60% of Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers rate the emotional stress of caregiving as high or very high; about 40% suffer from depression. One LQŅYHFDUHFRQWULEXWRUVFXWEDFNRQWKHLURZQGRFWRUYLVLWVEHFDXVHRI their care responsibilities. And, among caregivers, 74% report they are "somewhat" to "very" concerned about maintaining their own health since becoming a caregiver. 15 million Americans provide unpaid care for people ZLWK$O]KHLPHU×V disease and other dementias. More than 61% RIWKRVHZLWK Alzheimer's are expected to die before age 80 compared ZLWKRI WKRVHZLWKRXW Alzheimer's. Among people DJH continued on page 10 © CAN STOCK PHOTO NANDYPHOTOS IMAGE BY FREEPIC

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