Alzheimer's Disease Overview

Alzheimer's disease (AD) changes the lives of not only the people diagnosed with the condition, but also the friends and family members close to them. An incurable, progressive form of dementia, AD complicates daily life with increasing levels of memory loss, confusion, poor judgment, communication difficulties, and personality and behavior changes.

Approximately 4.5 million people in the United States have the disease. Because advanced age is a risk factor for AD, this number likely will increase dramatically as life expectancy rates climb and the number of elderly people in the United States grows. By 2050, an estimated 11 million to 16 million people will have AD. Most people with the disease may live an average of 8 to 20 years after diagnosis.

Although no cure for AD exists yet, people suffering from the disease and their caregivers can improve the quality of life for both by understanding the care, support, and various treatment options available or in development.