Most boomers aren't aware of Alzheimer's symptoms

Even though the Alzheimer's Association estimates that Alzheimer's disease affects 5.3 million Americans and 10.9 million caregivers who are tending to elderly parents or spouses, a new survey has found that many baby boomers are unaware of the initial symptoms of the condition, according to The Vancouver Sun.


Canada's Alzheimer Society discovered that 23 percent of Canadian boomers didn't know a single sign of early Alzheimer's and half of the respondents weren't aware that memory loss was a symptom of the illness.


This is a particularly jarring finding, given that 500,000 Canadians require Alzheimer's care, and that number will only grow as baby boomers enter their golden years.


Some of the other signs of Alzheimer's include mood swings, as well as drastic changes in reasoning and judgment.

Individuals experiencing these symptoms often require extra care from informal caregivers, many of whom dedicate their time to keep loved ones happy and healthy.


Key factors that can increase the risk of the disease are diabetes, obesity, genetic history, heart disease and depression.


In the United States, Alzheimer's disease costs 172 billion dollars in healthcare each year, according to The Alzheimer's Association.


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