national alzheimer's project

Thousands of Americans across the country shared their input, experiences, and concerns about Alzheimer’s disease and the escalating crisis. From their input, 10 major challenges emerged that must be addressed in a National Alzheimer’s Plan.

The Alzheimer’s disease crisis is growing rapidly. It is a heartbreaking disease. It is terminal and currently unstoppable. And it is tremendously costly, both to American families and the nation as a whole. Yet today, we don’t have a national plan – an aggressive, disciplined, practical strategy – to stop it.

The number of Americans who have Alzheimer’s disease is projected to increase from 5.4 million today to as many as 16 million by 2050. As the number of people affected by Alzheimer’s increases, so does the urgent need for better treatments.

Quality care for Alzheimer’s begins with detecting and then diagnosing the disease. A delayed or missed diagnosis deprives affected individuals and their families of care and support services that may be beneficial.

With millions of individuals expected to develop Alzheimer’s disease as the baby boomer generation ages, the demand for long-term care will escalate rapidly.