There is a thief abroad in this country stealing the cognitive powers of more than 5.3 million Americans. It costs $172 billion annually, but the money is not the true loss. The loss is a son who can still take his father to a ball game, but only the shell of a man remains in the bleacher seat beside him. The loss is a wife who sits at the dinner table with her husband but knows there will be no reciprocal conversation. The loss is a grandchild whose best friend can no longer play games with him. The robber who steals our relatives is Alzheimer's disease. There is no felony that can be charged against this killer, even though it is the seventh leading cause of death in this country. And most discouraging is that there is no known cure. The disease afflicts African Americans and Hispanics at a higher rate than others, and those with a family history of Alzheimer's are also more at risk. But regardless, every 70 seconds, someone in this country will develop this disease. September 21 was Alzheimer's Awareness Day. It is worth the time to think about ways to support the fight against this disease.
On the recordSeptember 22, 2010
Source
govinfo.govEditor's note · Context
The speaker addresses the impact of Alzheimer's disease on families and the need for awareness and support.
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