I Wanted to Talk About… er… I Forget

As life expectancies grow longer, the costs associated with advanced aging grow exponentially. Wikipedia: "According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 18.3% (8.6 million) of Americans age 60 and older have diabetes…The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) demonstrated that, in the population over 65 years old, 18% to 20% have diabetes, with 40% having either diabetes or its precursor form of impaired glucose tolerance… For at least 20 years, diabetes rates in North America have been increasing substantially. In 2008 there were about 24 million people with diabetes in the United States alone, from those 5.7 million people remain undiagnosed. Other 57 million people are estimated to have pre-diabetes." Diabetes often leads to heart disease and other life-threatening complications and generates a direct charge to the American medical system estimated at $132 billion a year.

Well, folks, there's another huge and growing charge to our medical system rising in an entirely different arena that should really draw our concern: dementia… not the kind that infects politicians when their lips move… the kind that robs memories and dignity from so many of our senior citizens. I watched my mom, in her final years, slowly drift into Alzheimer's-induced memory loss and concomitant humiliation. Eventually, she had to move into a pretty nice (as far as these "places" can be nice) managed care facility that she had selected earlier in life to cover this possibility. I remember leaving the room for ten minutes and returning; she would look at me as if seeing me for the first time and utter, "Where have you been, I haven't seen you in so long." In the end, her mind ceased to function rather completely.

On September 21^st, Alzheimer's Disease International issued The World Alzheimer Report 2010. Their Website (alz.co.uk) summarizes the findings:

• The worldwide costs of dementia will exceed 1% of global GDP in 2010, at US$604 billion.

• If dementia care were a country, it would be the world's 18th largest economy. If it were a company, it would be the world's largest by annual revenue exceeding Wal-Mart (US$414 billion) and Exxon Mobil (US$311 billion).

• The number of people with dementia will double by 2030, and more than triple by 2050.

• The costs of caring for people with dementia are likely to rise even faster than the prevalence - especially in the developing world, as more formal social care systems emerge, and rising incomes lead to higher opportunity costs.

• Reports from individual countries such as the UK suggest that dementia is one of the costliest illnesses - and yet research and investment is at a far lower level than for other major illnesses.

As folks look at our healthcare system with an eye to dismantling recent legislation – claiming the cost is intolerable – I wonder exactly how we are going to deal with the massive gerontological disaster looming in our future as our population grays with increasing speed. Here are a few more facts from the National Institute on Aging:

· One American turns 50 every 7.5 seconds.

· One in 6 Americans will be 65 or older by the year 2020, with an estimated 75 million by 2010.

· In 1996, the first wave of Baby Boomers turned 50.

· In 2000, nearly 40% of the federal budget was spent on aging-related programs.

· After age 75, most women are widowed and live alone.

· After age 75, most men are married and live with their spouse.

· In nursing homes, 70% of residents are women.

· Roughly 56% of the Older Americans Act budget is spent on nutrition programs for the elderly -- meals on wheels, congregate meal sites, etc. The rates of malnutrition risk among the elderly are estimated at somewhere between 64% and 88%.

· Today, the fastest growing age group in this country is women age 85 and older.

· Seven (7) million over age 65 require help with daily living: feeding, dressing, bathing.

· Social and psychological support is most often provided to elderly parent(s) by middle- aged daughter(s).

Layer in the costs associated with each of the above. Do the math; it's not pretty! And remember, except for the very unlucky who die before they make it to their senior years, each of you are or will be in some part of the above statistical reality!

I'm Peter Dekom, and we have a really big issue looming before us.