Alzheimer's Increasing with Rapid Aging Population
Posted: Aug 02, 2011 3:47 AM GST Updated: Aug 05, 2011 10:37 PM GST
(KATV) Little Rock - There are more than 5-million people suffering from Alzheimer's in the U.S., six out of ten of them will wander off at least once and baby boomers are being called the silver tsunami.
The amount of Silver Alerts for elderly with dementia is up, but according to the Alzheimer's Association so is early diagnoses.
More than 10,000 Baby Boomers are turning 65 each day, and then chances for the disease go up every five years. Now just imagine you're loved-one is one of about 70-percent of them who will wander off.
79-year old Eddie Kinchen's walked away from his apartment nearly 30 days ago in this sweltering heat.
"You want to find someone in the first 24-hours if they wander." Tiffany Phillips with the Alzheimer's Association says the triple digit temperature is dangerous because they don't take care of themselves, just focus on going to the place they once felt safe, that might not even exist anymore.
The number of people with Alzheimer's is expected to rise to 16 million by 2050. Phillips says as more families take in elderly relatives with the disease, they need to take steps to keep them safe, starting low tech.
She explains, "Make sure you put a lock above or below the eye level, because they won't think to look up or down. Also you can put a rug in front of a door that's dark because sometimes with the change of perception, they'll think it's a hole."
As the aging population increases rapidly, there's high tech tips like the Comfort Zone GPS, Medic Alert bracelet and the Silver Alert issued by police.
With every day that goes by Kinchen's family fears the worst, but hopes for his safe return.
