Ed Markey: “Today our nation's 40th President turns ninety--one of only three other Presidents in our history to reach his ninetieth…”

“Today our nation's 40th President turns ninety--one of only three other Presidents in our history to reach his ninetieth year. With recent advances made in health and science, we can anticipate many more of our future Presidents to live into their nineties, along with the entire U.S. population. But what impact does an increase in our country's aging population have? And what sort of quality of life will our elderly enjoy? I have my concerns. Currently there is a threat facing our elderly population--a wave, gaining momentum and sweeping its way through the minds of our aged. This disease afflicts President Reagan. It is Alzheimer's and it threatens the future for our nation's elderly, their families and our health care system. Alzheimer's is indiscriminate and cruel, it creeps into the brain, captures the mind and steals the memory--irrevocably altering the personality of its victims leaving not only loved ones unrecognizable to the Alzheimer's patient but the patient unrecognizable to her loved ones. This is what makes this disease particularly cruel . . . the loss of the thread of continuity that weaves itself through every experience of our lives and defines us as who we are.”