Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias: Medical Overview and Rehabilitation Management, 2nd ed

Course Description:

Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent cause of dementia, accounting for 60% to 80% of all cases with current estimates suggesting that 5.5 million older adults in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s dementia (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018a). According to the Alzheimer’s Association (2018a), one in 10 older Americans has Alzheimer’s dementia, and almost two-thirds of them are women, likely due to the fact that women live longer than men. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, currently more than 48 million adults aged 65 years and older make up 15% of the population; by 2050, the older population is expected to exceed 88 million, comprising more than 22% of Americans (He, Goodkind, & Kowal, 2016). Because age is the primary risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease is projected to nearly triple by 2050, reaching 14 million. The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is expected to climb sharply around 2030, when all baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) will be older than 65 years. The likelihood of rehabilitation professionals treating individuals with Alzheimer’s disease increases year by year.