1 in 10 Hoosiers over 65 has Alzheimer's
Nearly 11% of Hoosiers over 65 are living with Alzheimer's — more than 121,300 people — according to 2020 data shared in a new Alzheimer's Association report.
Why it matters: More than 7 million American seniors now live with Alzheimer's, the highest number ever recorded, but addressing cognitive decline early can help stave off the disease.
By the numbers: Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's are women, per data cited in the report.
Risk increases with age: 5.1% of people ages 65–74 have it, while a third of people 85 and older have it, per the report.
Zoom in: Indiana's elderly population is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, according to projections from the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.
One in every five Hoosiers (over 966,000 people) will be 65 or older by 2030.
Marion County skews a bit younger. The elderly population percentage is here is poised to reach 16.2% in 2030.
Stunning stat: The research center says the number of people 65 and up in Indiana will surpass 1.5 million by 2050, a 57% increase from 2015.
Threat level: Nearly 18% of Hoosiers 45 and older already have subjective cognitive decline, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
And the burden of care is often thrust onto family members. The Alzheimer's Association estimates about 219,000 Indiana caregivers provide unpaid care valued at $6.9 billion for loved ones with the disease.
Zoom out: The highest rates of seniors with Alzheimer's are in D.C. (16.8%) and Maryland (12.9%). The lowest is in Alaska (8.8%).
What they're saying: "It doesn't surprise me" that Alzheimer's incidence has increased, because the population is aging and "we're becoming more sophisticated in our options for diagnosing and testing for Alzheimer's disease," Lakelyn Eichenberger, a gerontologist and caregiving advocate at Home Instead, tells Axios.
With cases climbing and age a key risk factor, early action is critical for managing the disease and accessing new treatments, Eichenberger says.
Warning signs to watch for in high-risk age groups:
Trouble finding the right word.
Difficulty judging distances.
Misplacing things and struggling to retrace steps.
Between the lines: "If you're seeing patterns of these types of signs over an extended period of time," that could mean it's time to see a doctor about cognitive decline, Eichenberger says.
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