From: BillK (bill@wkidston.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Tue Aug 19 2003 - 07:01:30 MDT
http://www.alzheimers.org/nianews/nianews59.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3161523.stm
Quotes:
The number of people with Alzheimer's could treble by 2050, say US
researchers, as the population surges and existing patients live longer.
Scientists project that some 13.2 million older Americans will have
Alzheimer's disease (AD) by 2050 unless new ways are found to prevent or
treat the disease.
The US team, from Rush Institute on Healthy Aging, claimed that the huge
rise could effectively bankrupt the country's medicare system, and
called for more funding for research into treatments.
The primary cause of the rise is the fact that many more people are
expected to live into their 80s and 90s in the future.
Beyond 80, as many as one in five people has some form of dementia.
Many require highly expensive health and social care, and it is possible
that the disease will not greatly alter their lifespan.
End quotes.
The authorities seem to be depending on the hope that research will find
a cure before these projections become reality.
Referring back to the previous thread about early retirement, it seems
that not only will the working population have to pay for more and more
pensions for people that are living longer, but they will also have to
pay for more and more medical and social care costs as well.
Better retire soon, while you still can!
BillK
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