Dementia in America - Alzheimer’s Disease

As the chief executive officer of The Neurological Institute in Charlotte, NC, Dr. Hemanth Rao treats patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The institute’s memory care staff and Dr. Hemanth Rao deliver a wide variety of dementia-focused treatments in Charlotte, NC, including speech, cognitive, and occupational therapies. 

A progressive brain disease, Alzheimer’s results in gradual decline as the condition interrupts cognitive functions and memory recall. In its later stages, Alzheimer’s renders impossible basic, day-to-day tasks, such as talking and dressing. 

Data indicates that up to five million people in the United States live with Alzheimer’s. According to research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alzheimer’s deaths skyrocketed by more than 50 percent between 1999 and 2014. 

Because age is a key risk factor for Alzheimer’s, experts believe the rise is in part a result of America’s aging population. Researchers predict that the number of patients living with Alzheimer’s in America will increase by more than three times over the next 33 years.