Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Lauran Neergaard / The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A staggering 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer's
disease or other types of dementia, says a new report that
highlights the impact the mind-destroying disease is having on
the rapidly aging population. Dying with Alzheimer's is not the
same as dying from it. But even when dementia isn't the direct
cause of death, it can be the final blow — speeding someone's
decline by interfering with their care for heart disease, cancer
or other serious illnesses. That's the assessment of the report
released Tuesday by the Alzheimer's Association, which advocates
for more research and support for families afflicted by it.
"Exacerbated aging," is how Dr. Maria Carrillo, an association
vice president, terms the Alzheimer's effect. "It changes any
health care situation for a family." In fact, only 30 percent of
70-year-olds who don't have Alzheimer's are expected to die
before their 80th birthday. But if they do have dementia, 61
percent are expected to