Case Study Analysis: the California Sutter Health Approach

Alzheimer’s Disease: Population Disabled In the times in which we live, there are many hundreds of institutions that are working on the Alzheimer’s issue. Researchers are hoping to break the mysteries of this disease and wipe it from the face of the earth forever. It is estimated that there are now more than 5.2 million people in the United States living with AD and as the population ages; this number is expected to triple by the year 2050. Among baby boomers aged 55 and over, one in eight will develop AD and one in six will develop a dementia. Half of all persons 85 years and older will develop the disease. Although the illness usually develops in people age 65 or older, it is estimated that over 500,000 people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s have Alzheimer 's disease or a related dementia. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the country. According to the California Department of Public Health,

“Currently, there are 588,208 Californians 55 and over living with Alzheimer’s disease; one-tenth of the nation’s Alzheimer’s patients reside in this state. By 2030, this number will nearly double in California; growing to over 1.1 million. Due to a rapidly aging population, the number of California’s Latinos and Asians living with Alzheimer’s disease will triple by 2030. The number of African-Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease will double in this time frame.” (CDPH, 2012) In the meantime, patients are becoming afflicted with this disease on a daily basis with no hope for recovery save for the hope that the advancement of the disease comes at a slower pace for them then for most. Time is not on the side of the patient for as the days, weeks and months that go by, the disease advances as surely as the sun rises. Having become afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease certainly can be a depressing and even humiliating experience to the patient and their families. Often people who are not familiar with the disease may seem to be hesitant to interact

References: Cognition Therapeutics Completes $2.5M in Series A1 Financing to Advance Alzheimer 's Disease Drug Treatment Program. (2011, January 22). The Pak Banker. Retrieved January 23, 2011, from Banking Information Source. (Document ID: 2245877411). Falvo, D. (2009).  Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness and Disability.  Sudbury, MA :  Jones and Bartlett Publishers.  ISBN:  9780763744618 Franklin, C. (2011, January 23). Do your family a favor: Why you should be screened for Alzheimer 's. Chicago Tribune, p. 14. Retrieved January 23, 2011, from Chicago Tribune. (Document ID: 2245725951). Markey 's Historic National Alzheimer 's Project Act Signed Into Law by President Obama:Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) News Release. (2011, January). Congressional Documents and Publications. Retrieved January 23, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 2230967721) Turnock, B. J. (2007). Essentials of Public Health. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett. ISBN: 13:978-0-7637-4 Taken from: http://www.memory.ucsf.edu/caregiving Taken from :http://www.cdph.ca.gov