Last Updated on May 25, 2023 by BVN
Breanna Reeves
In 2023, roughly 6.7 million Americans who are 65 years of age and older are living with Alzheimer’s in 2023, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Of those 6.7 million, 73% are aged 75 or older.
With older adults in the U.S. population growing, the association estimates that the number of older Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia will also increase. It is estimated by 2050, older adults aged 65 and over with Alzheimer’s could grow to 12.7 million.
Alzheimer’s disease is progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and other cognitive abilities. The disease is a common cause of dementia and severely impacts one’s ability to carry out simple tasks.
In an effort to increase awareness about Alzheimer’s and available resources, the Alzheimer’s Association California, Southland Chapter in the Inland Empire is hosting community forums throughout the year to educate individuals about the disease and how they can seek support. The chapter hosts three to four forums throughout the year.
“We’re trying to increase awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia. We know that a lot of members in our community are not aware of the resources that we offer, and so that is why we’re doing them, both in English and in Spanish,” explained Judith Martinez, senior program manager of the Alzheimer’s Association, California Southland Chapter in the Inland Empire.
“Another reason why we’re trying to do them is because we want to address the gaps and barriers to accessing the resources that we offer. So during these forums, we get to talk to the community and ask them questions, to better understand where the gaps are and how we can address those gaps.”
According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of adults 65 years of age and older living with Alzheimer’s differs across race/ethnicity with 14% of Black people in America living with the disease compared to 12% of Hispanic people and 10% of White people.
Authors of a study published in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, titled “High school quality is associated with cognition 58 years later,” recognized that while there were limitations to their research such as insufficient sample sizes for Latinx, Asian and American Indian participants. However, senior author Jennifer Manly, Ph.D., professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center noted that the “findings indicate that racism impacts brain health and contributes to the unfair burden of Alzheimer’s disease in marginalized groups.”
By hosting these community forums, the Alzheimer’s Association hopes to educate caregivers and other interested individuals on what resources exist for learning more about the disease, how to support people living with Alzheimer’s and learn more about the risk factors associated with the disease.
“These forums are open to the community and to community members who just want to learn about Alzheimer’s and risk factors and the resources. Also for caregivers, those who are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, they are welcome to also attend or professionals who just want to learn about the resources so that they can share them with their clients,” Martinez said.
Resources include a 24/7 hotline where people can call and receive support from social workers, ask questions or receive advice on how to handle certain situations. Additionally, people seeking assistance can speak to a master’s level clinician in a one-on-one consultation or participate in one of 10 local in-person or virtual support groups that host monthly meetings throughout the Inland region. Community members who are interested in supporting those living with Alzheimer’s can participate in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s held in Rancho Cucamonga and Temecula Valley this fall.
Martinez encouraged adults aged 65 and older to get their annual cognitive assessment to examine cognitive impairments such as memory loss, balance issues and other unexpected changes in behavior. Cognitive assessment can be used to detect dementia and early signs of Alzheimer’s. There are 10 signs of Alzheimer’s disease which include confusion with time or places, difficulty speaking or writing and trouble understanding visual images and spaces.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved three Alzheimer’s treatments to treat early symptoms of the disease, which is why Martinez suggested that individuals get examined. This month, the FDA approved Rexulti, oral tablets that are used for the treatment of agitation associated with dementia as a result of Alzheimer’s disease. Rexulti is the first FDA-approved treatment option for this indication.
In January, by way of the Accelerated Approval pathway, the FDA approved Leqembi for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Leqembi is a medication that seeks to target the underlying disease process. In early clinical trials, the study found that the medication “resulted in moderately less decline on measures of cognition and function.”
“The FDA has approved two medications in the last year and a half. Two medications that address disease progression, meaning that they help with cognitive decline. For those who are not getting this annual test, then the window to have access to this medication can pass because this medication actually helps those who are in the early stage for those who have mild cognitive impairment,” Martinez explained.
In February, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) decided not to reconsider their decision to decline to cover the FDA-approved Alzheimer’s treatments, which are monoclonal antibodies used to target a specific part of the brain to slow the progression of the disease. In a statement, CMS noted that Leqembi received special approval and that key questions regarding the drug need to be addressed before the organization reconsiders.
“If a monoclonal antibody directed against amyloid for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease subsequently receives traditional FDA approval, CMS will provide broader coverage using the framework we announced last year, under [Coverage with Evidence Development], on the same day,” the CMS statement read.
In response to CMS’s refusal to reconsider, advocates have held protest rallies across several CMS buildings across the nation, urging the organization to reconsider.
“What they did is unprecedented. So, right now we’re actually doing rallies around the country in front of federal buildings so that CMS can reverse this decision, so that people that qualify for those medications can have access to it because right now, because of CMS is a decision, people don’t have access to this medication,” Martinez said.
To learn more about future community forums visit the Alzheimer’s Association California, Southland Chapter in the Inland Empire.