| U.S. Census Bureau Report Highlights Age 90 as 'New 85' | 
Fueling more evidence that our nation is aging, the number of Americans aged 90 and older may explode more than four-fold to nine million by 2050, compared to 1.9 million in 2010, according to a new government report.
The report, "90+ in the United States: 2006-2008," by the U.S. Census Bureau and commissioned by the National Institute on Aging, said this rapidly growing segment of the population should be reflected in the definition of the "oldest-old," changing the current age of 85 to 90.
The research found that the majority of the 90-plus population are widowed white women with one or more types of disability who live alone or in a nursing home; of the latter, the person's likelihood of living in a nursing home increases sharply with age-from 19.8 percent at ages 90 to 94, to 31 percent at 95 to 99, and up to 38.2 percent at 100-plus.
Today, the average 90-year-old American has a life expectancy of 4.6 more years, and those who hit 100 are expected to live another 2.3 years.
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Congressional Taskforce Leaders Issue Recommendations for National Alzheimer's Plan
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United States Representatives Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-founders and co-chairs of the Bipartisan Congressional Taskforce on Alzheimer's Disease and House authors of the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA), last week issued their recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the development of a "far-reaching and thoughtful" national Alzheimer's plan as mandated under NAPA. Their recommendations call for increasing funding for medical research, expanding public awareness efforts, providing reimbursement for comprehensive diagnosis, expanding outcome-oriented care programs, more training for healthcare professionals, and encouraging states to develop individual Alzheimer's plans. Noting that "we must change our current trajectory," the congressmen said, "We encourage HHS and its partnering federal agencies to continue their diligent, timely and thoughtful work to implement NAPA and draft the historic National Alzheimer's Plan." |
| Hearing Health Falls Off Radar Screen for Older Adults | 
Hearing loss is taking a back seat among health issues for Americans aged 50 or older who are AARP members, despite the fact that about three-fourths of those polled in a new survey consider it very or extremely important to maintain hearing health. The survey of more than 2,200 AARP members conducted by AARP and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association revealed that 46 percent said their hearing is getting worse. Yet, nearly the same percentage (47 percent) report having untreated hearing health issues and the majority of them don't believe their problems warrant treatment. Other reasons for not seeking treatment are lack of or insufficient health insurance and concerns about cost. During a five-year period, only 43 of respondents had taken a hearing test, in contrast to the vast majority who reported having a vision test or blood pressure monitoring (88 and 85 percent, respectively). When it comes to reasons for seeking treatment, however, respondents cited improved quality of life, enhanced mental and physical alertness, and the ability to maintain independence. The majority said they would seek treatment if they felt hearing issues were affecting their relationships with family and friends, or if someone they cared about asked them to. In announcing the results, organization leaders noted that untreated hearing loss can lead to social isolation and depression. For information about hearing loss as it relates to dementia, read the winter/spring 2010 issue of care ADvantage magazine, AFA's quarterly magazine for caregivers. |
| Many Americans Plan to Delay Retirement into Their 80's | 
With retirement savings falling far short of their goals, middle-class Americans plan to hold off leaving the workforce well beyond age 65-to at least 80, an annual retirement survey from Wells Fargo & Company, San Francisco, has found. A quarter of middle-class Americans surveyed said they will need to work until at least 80 to live comfortably in retirement. The report cites the poor economy as the major contributing factor, including lost savings, declines in house values, and stock market fluctuations as well as lack of private pension plans and proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits. On average, this group has saved only 7 percent of their desired retirement nest egg, a median $25,000 in savings versus a median goal of $350,000. According to the survey, 76 percent feel it is critical have a specific amount saved before retirement regardless of age, while only 20 percent believe it is more important to retire at a specific age regardless of savings. Compounding this shift, 74 percent of Americans expect to work in retirement, including 39 percent who say they will do so out of financial necessity. The phone survey involved 1,500 middle-class Americans in their 20's through 70's and was conducted by Harris Interactive a few months ago. |
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News to Use:
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- Consumers can ask questions about the benefit improvements and enhancements for Medicare beneficiaries under the recently-passed Affordable Care Act during a national tele-town hall with healthcare providers and policy experts on December 12 beginning at 2:30 p.m. (ET). The session is presented by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security, the Medicare Foundation, the National Physicians Alliance, and the Herndon Alliance. Call toll-free 888-886-6603, ext. 17702#.
- When shopping for the holidays or throughout the year, consider a gift that contributes to our cause: shop AFA's e-store for gifts for family and professional caregivers, and others you care about! Merchandise includes AFA's exclusive line of sterling silver jewelry, educational DVDs and books. There's still time to order for the holidays!
- By 2030, one in 10 adults or 552 million people worldwide may develop diabetes, a chronic disease that is considered a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The projection by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) includes both undiagnosed and diagnosed cases and is up from one in 13 adults or 366 million people currently. The greatest number of people with diabetes are between 40 and 59 years of age. "We demand that public and world leaders act on diabetes now," declared Jean Claude Mbanya, IDF's president.
- Join AFA and other leading organizations dedicated to Alzheimer's disease care and research for a lively discussion on Alzheimer's disease in the twittersphere. The chats occur on the second Tuesday of each month at 12 p.m. (ET). On the next chat on December 13, participants will be discussing updates in Alzheimer's research. Simply follow the hashtag #TalkAlz to participate. Contact us at info@alzfdn.org with any questions.
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News Update
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- Underweight in older adults may forewarn Alzheimer's disease...Older adults with mild cognitive impairment or no signs of impairment who have lower body mass index (BMI) had higher levels of biomarkers--plaques and tangles in brain scans or fragments of these proteins in cerebrospinal fluid--that are often present years before symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study of 101 people. Eighty-five percent of non-overweight individuals had signs of these brain abnormalities, compared to just 48 percent of the overweight or obese participants. No link was found between BMI and people already exhibiting signs of the disease. Read More...
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If you have a question or concern that you would like to discuss with a social worker, please write info@alzfdn.org or call (toll-free) 866-AFA-8484.
© 2011 Alzheimer's Foundation of America
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| Enroll in Free Webinar on Dementia | |
AFA and Senior Helpers has been sponsoring a Webinar series this fall for family caregivers and healthcare professionals on "Moving Forward with Alzheimer's and Dementia" with Teepa Snow, a renowned dementia care expert. The series is presented by the American Society on Aging and offers one CEU for healthcare professionals.
The last of the three-part series is: "Dementia and Caregiving: Focusing on the Person While Understanding the Progression"
Monday, December 19, 2011
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (ET)
To register, click here, https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/440140022.
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AFA recently announced the formation of a Legacy Society, which offers special recognition to individuals who have included AFA in their wills or estate plans. Information about AFA's new Legacy Society is available at
www.alzfdn.org or by contacting AFA at 866.232.8484
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| Want to support AFA on a regular basis? Donors can now make recurring monthly donations to AFA. A recurring monthly donation is a charge that is automatically deducted from your credit card each month. You may cancel at any time. To make convenient, automatic monthly donations, or a one-time donation, click here. |
| Our Mission |
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Our mission is "to provide optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families--through member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life."
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| Contact Us |
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To obtain more information about AFA, visit us at www.alzfdn.org or call us toll-free at 866-AFA-8484. |
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