The impact of Alzheimer’s is projected to rise by 2025, and the most recent data show:
- 150,000 people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s in Virginia.
- 9.5% of people aged 45 and older have subjective cognitive decline.
- 354,000 family caregivers bear the burden of the disease in Virginia.
- 529 million hours of unpaid care provided by Alzheimer’s caregivers.
- $10.3 billion is the value of the unpaid care.
- $1 billion is the cost of Alzheimer’s to the state Medicaid program.
Research is still evolving, but we’re learning more each day about how lifestyle changes in diet and exercise, along with learning new things and staying socially active, may help to reduce the risk of cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
While we can’t control getting older – or the genes we inherit from our family, we can make decisions that will help us to live our best lives possible as we age. Keeping our brains healthy is not something we should worry about only as we get older. It’s never too late or too early to incorporate healthy brain habits.