>>JENNIFER WAUGH: THIS MORNING WE’RE GETTING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE TOLL THAT ALZHEIMER’S
DISEASE IS HAVING ON PEOPLE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY
HERE IN FLORIDA, ACCORDING TO
A NEW SPECIAL REPORT FROM THE
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION, ABOUT
6 AND A HALF MILLION AMERICANS
AGE 65 AND OLDER HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES REPORTED HAVING
ALZHEIMER’S DEMENTIA LAST
YEAR. THAT INCLUDES 580,000
FLORIDIANS AND EVEN MORE
ALARMING IS THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED AS A
RESULT OF THE DISEASE IS UP
145% IN THE LAST 22 YEARS
SINCE 2000. WELL, BESIDES THE
LOSS OF LIFE, THE COST TO
CAREGIVERS HAS ALSO PASSED
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THIS YEAR
ALONE. CAREGIVERS HERE IN
FLORIDA ARE EXPECTED TO SPEND
2.7 BILLION DOLLARS IN CARE.
AND IT’S A BIG FINANCIAL
BURDEN ON TOP OF THE EMOTIONAL
AND PHYSICAL TOLL THAT THESE
FAMILIES ARE FACING. KEITH
GIBSON IS WITH THE AMERICAN
A’S WITH THE ALZHEIMER’S
ASSOCIATION IS JOINING US VIA
ZOOM THIS MORNING. GOOD
MORNING. THANKS FOR BEING WITH
US.
>> YES, GOOD MORNING. THANK
YOU FOR HAVING ME. WHICH GIVE
US AN IDEA OF THE SCOPE OF
CARE THAT SOMEONE WITH
ALZHEIMER’S NEEDS.
>> IT’S IT’S A TREMENDOUS
BURDEN THAT OUR CAREGIVERS ARE
DEALING WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.
YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT REGARDING
THEIR ACTIVITIES OF DAILY
LIVING FROM THERE AND ELATION.
THERE DEPRESSING. THEY’RE
EATING. THEY’RE GROOMING IN
TALL. A TEAM AND THAT IN
ITSELF MAKES IT VERY DAUNTING
TASK FOR THE CAREGIVER. WHEN,
YOU KNOW, THEIR FOCUS IS ON
LOVED ONE AND IT’S NOT
UNCOMMON THAT THE CARRIER IS
IN NEAR EFFORT TO PROVIDE THE
BEST CARE AND SERVICE FOR
THEIR LOVED ONE DAY IN THE
OWNS DON’T CARE AND WELL-BEING
AS WELL. YEAH, IT’S IT’S
REALLY OVERWHELMING. IT’S
EXHAUSTING. IT’S HEARTBREAKING
FOR FAMILIES.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: YOU NEED
HELP. ALSO CARING FOR A LOVED
ONE. FIGHTING THIS DISEASE.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE
BIGGEST SOURCE OF THE
FINANCIAL STRAIN?
>> BIGGEST SOURCE OF THE
FINANCIAL STRAIN IS BASICALLY
WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF DAILY
LIVING HAVING SOMEONE TO
ASSIST. BILL, WHAT DID THE YOU
KNOW, THE THE DRESSING THE
EVENING, THE GROOMING, THE
TALL, A T AND THE MANAGING OF
THEIR WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
CARING FOR A SPOUSE TO MENTION
IT. THERE’S A 30% INCREASE IN
WHAT WE CALL DEPRESSIVE
SYMPTOMS. THAT’S COMPARED
SPOUSE CARE FOR PARTNERS
THROUGHOUT THE MANSION. THE
CHRONIC CARE OF CARE. CHRONIC
STRESS OF CAREGIVING IS ALSO
ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASE. IT’S
A OF HYPERTENSION AND A NUMBER
OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGE THAT
IT WOULD INCREASE THE RISK OF
DEVELOPING CHRONIC CONDITIONS
THAT INCLUDE HIGH LEVELS OF
STRESS IMPAIRED IMMUNE
FUNCTION TO SLOW WOUND HEALING
IN CORONARY HEART DISEASE.
WELL, AND IT MAKES SENSE TO
BECAUSE NOT ONLY TRYING TO
CARE FOR THAT PERSON, BUT.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: BUT NOT
CARING FOR YOURSELF. I MEAN,
SO SO AND THE COST ASSOCIATE
WITH THIS IS ONLY EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE TO CLIMB. SO
ACCORDING TO ALZHEIMERS
ASSOCIATIONS LAST REPORT,
WHICH I’M SURE YOU’RE FAMILIAR
BY 2025. THE COST TO FAMILIES
CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH THIS
DISEASE IS PROJECTED TO
INCREASE BY 28% TO WHAT DO YOU
ATTRIBUTE THE INCREASE? WOULD
YOU SAY?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT’S A
FULL-TIME JOB, YOU AND SO,
THEREFORE, WITH YOU KNOW, THE
INCREASED HOURS OF CARE AND
SUPPORT. YOU KNOW, THAT’S
GOING DRIVE UP THE COST
BECAUSE YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU
KNOW, SUPERVISION. IT IS ALSO
IMPORTANT TO ME, YOU KNOW, FOR
CARING FOR YOUR LOVED ONE. AND
SO THEY REQUIRE YOUR ATTENTION
YOUR FULL ATTENTION. SO
SOMETHING’S NOT LIKE YOU. CAN
YOU CARE FOR THEM? PART TIME?
AND SO BECAUSE IT’S A FULL
TIME RESPONSIBILITY THAT’S
GOING TO DRIVE UP THE COST ALL
IN ITSELF.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: EVERYTHING
SEEMS TO BE COSTING MORE AND
MORE THESE DAYS. I GET IT. SO
THERE’S ALSO A GROWING NUMBER
OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING
DIAGNOSED. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING
LOCALLY?
>> LOCALLY IN IN OUR WE WE
HAVE A SPECIAL REPORT. I’M
MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.
MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IS
OFTEN CONFUSED MOBILE AD, BUT
IT’S NOT. IT’S AN EARLY STAGE
OF MEMORY LOSS OR OTHER
CONTENT ABILITIES THAT A LOSS
SUCH AS LANGUAGE OF THE ISSUE
OF SPATIAL PERCEPTION. IT ALSO
CAUSES CHASE. THERE ARE
SERIOUS ENOUGH TO BE NOTICED
BY THE INDIVIDUAL. I’M
AFFECTED BY FAMILY MEMBERS BUT
IS NOT SERIOUS ENOUGH TO
INTERFERE WITH YOUR DAILY
ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING.
SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF MILD
COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT INCLUDE
FORGETTING CONVERSATIONS,
MISPLACING ITEMS IN THE HOLE
DIFFICULTY KEEPING THAT TRAIN
OF THOUGHT LOSING THEIR WAY TO
ONE FAMILIAR PLACES FEELING
OVERWHELMED, MAKING OR
COMPLETELY EVERYDAY TASKS LIKE
PAYING A WHEN WE LOOK AT MILD
COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IS
ASSOCIATED WE CAUGHT
INSTRUMENTAL ACTIVITIES OF
DAILY LIVING. IT’S THE MENTAL
ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING ARE
BILLS ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE
HIGHER LEVEL MENTAL AND
PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING AND THEY
INCLUDE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS
YOUR SHOP BE PREPARING DOING
HOUSE CLEANING AND HOUSEWORK.
I’M MANAGING YOUR MANAGING
MEDICATIONS, DRIVING AND
TALKING ON THE TELEPHONE. ONCE
YOU START TO DIFFICULTIES
APPEAR WITH BILLS, ACTIVITY
LEVEL ACTIVITY, AREAS. DATA
INDICATES THAT YOU DEFINITELY
WANT TO GET YOURSELF ASSESSED.
AND BECAUSE HEAT THAT THAT IS
SUCH AN IMPORTANT POINT TO
BECAUSE WE WERE JUST TALKING
ABOUT THIS. IN FACT,
YESTERDAY.
>> ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF