The 2017 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report shows the number of Iowans impacted by the memory-robbing disease continues to grow. Carol Sipfle is the Executive Director for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Iowa Chapter.

 

Sipfle says the projections in the report show Alzheimer’s cases increasing by around three percent by 2020, and then jumping by around 14 percent to 73-thousand in Iowa by 2025.

 

Alzheimer’s disease most often strikes Iowans who are over the age of 65 and those age 85 and over account for nearly half the cases.

The impact of the disease goes well beyond those who have it — as the report says the cost of caring for Alzheimer’s and other patients with dementia is estimated at 259 BILLION dollars in 2017.