Alzheimer's Long and Costly Goodbye -- Heartache and Hope: America's Alzheimer's Epidemic (Ep. 1)
As Baby Boomers become senior citizens, Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia are on track to reach epidemic proportions, with a new case every 68 seconds and an annual cost of $1.2 trillion projected by 2050. The disease also takes its toll on family members struggling to care for their loved ones, while watching them slowly slip away in what some describe as "the long goodbye."
The first in a series of three programs from UCLA offers an overview of the looming epidemic and illustrates the fear and grief experienced by patients and their loved ones, including Patti Davis, daughter of Ronald Reagan, and TV personality Leeza Gibbons, who lost her mother to Alzheimer’s. [Show ID: 23903]
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Alzheimer's is the worst possible thing that can ever happen to someone my dad has it and as much as I hate saying this he would be better off if he just died having to live as he is now is just plain cruel
I'm sorry about your dad. My mom has dementia as well. She does not recognize us and she is dependent on others, yet she is physically well. It is so very sad. She would be better off if she passed away in her sleep.
It’s only because we are living longer. Which isn’t always lovely. For the patient or the Family
I quit my job to take care of my wife of 36 yrs who has demensia. I had to accept her condition and ask God Almighty for strength and patience...You really find out alot about friends and relatives when things get tough..they disappear!
You are such brave person,loving husband, i am 33 and take care of my mother of 65 with this illness ,but take care of yourself also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sending you love and positive energy!!!!!!!!
There are very few people that are good and sincere friends. A*se H**les is a more appropriate name for them. So sorry that you have a heavier cross, than most, to bear in your life. Keep strong, my friend, with God as your guide. He is the only One that will never desert you.
Nick Lynch ..I’m so sorry about that.
Yes they do....my husband has a progressive form of adult muscular dystrophy, I've seen this and I just want to flip out!!!
how true...💖
For family members it feels like having your heart cut out, a little bit every day, for years.NO treatment, no cure. Just a loved one being victimized for years, needing care.
I can well understand why she doesn't want to tell anyone, when she is confused...the fear of losing everything she does still have left...her independence...my heart goes out to here...it really does and to all who suffer from Alzheimer's. I have to say that my late hubby felt this way when he was diagnosed with cancer the 3rd and final time...he didn't want to lose what he loved so much...his time with me and his home and his woodworking, that he so enjoyed. These terminal diseases take people a small piece at a time and it is so difficult to watch and not be able to stop all the madness and to be able to give them back their life...you can't and it hurts so deeply. Still not one day goes by that I don't miss him dearly...he was the love of my life...we both were so close...as one.💖
My father in law was diagnosed today It's so scary and sad to know how cruel this illness is. My poor husband it's devastated.
Watching a loved one die of Alzheimer's is like watching a person fall from a cliff in slow motion...falling slowly into the depth of nothingness. You find yourself mourning while they're still alive. Not that we have control over death, but this, this has been an enduring pain for me. My brother died quick and suddenly but watching my mother fade away has been a different sort of pain. Constant and heavy. I curse the gods on a daily basis. The world is cold and indifferent.
Amen!I'm living it rt now wi my dad over 11 years of being his caregiver 😢😢😢, day by day, just waiting for him to be called back home😢
This video brought back memories! When I was caring for my dear friend, it was like she left her body and an evil spirit entered just to cause havoc! Dementia (Alzheimer's) is a cruel disease for all involved. We, caregivers, must take care of ourselves on a daily basis by claiming our rest, sleep, nutrients, going to a wellness coach/support group, and drinking our water to endure the extreme stresses of caregiving! Thank you for this video! I hope we find a cure fast!
“Death in slow motion”. Bingo, that nails it.
That's a scary thought losing memories. I work with a lot of residents that have different severities of dementia and I've found that if you play a song that is meaningful to the resident, one from their childhood perhaps, they're not only likely to remember the lyrics but also remember old memories of when they sung that song in the past. Very interesting.
Infinite Peace Music It makes sense to me! Working with seniors in the past who didn’t have Alzheimer’s creates the same reaction.
Music is the only way I know to get my mother in law to open her eyes. She's turning 97 in 5 days. She is completely bedridden and has round the clock care.
Alzheimers is devastating and I'm a new member at 54. I'm doing all I can go to keep what I can of my memories. I'm also scared to death
Michael Kline 🙏🏻 for you. I hope that you are still with us and I hope that you somehow see this message.
Michael Kline I think I will be 54 on Elvis’s birthday. I am scared too bc I have no children or family but when I give money to ppl they are my friend but when I don’t then I am alone. I am fighting hard to retain my memory if I take it slow I do better but on somethings I do better under pressure. God please help us,tears falling down my face. Ok I subtracted 1965 from 2018 so I am 53 and will be 54.
Michael Kline how are you?
My heart is with you
God bless you I pray theirs a cure soon and that you are hanging in there.You are stronger than you realize I hope you never forget that..God have Mercy on your son Michael Kline...heal him and all your children Amen.
I retired in 2006, in Danbury, CT. My younger sister retired from NBC, after more than 30 yrs, as a journalist in Rockefeller Center, in NY. She retired at 64. She started forgetting things, almost immediately.She was diagnosed with Lewy Bodies dementia. Now 5 yrs later, she is wheelchair bound, diapers, spoon fed, and round the clock caregivers, in her home in Ridgefield, Ct. Lewy Bodies is part Parkinsons. She is almost non verbal. Blessings and prayers to your family.
😞💔
😥💔
It's Lewy BODY Dementia, and it's not part of Parkinson's Disease.
@@imogen-rc6lx ah yes, some more self important corrections. I mean if you’re going to correct people perhaps a quick Google search will change your tone. It’s absolutely free to educate yourself before opening up your mouth. You are absolutely incorrect. They are actually very closely related and Parkinson’s can shift into dementia with Lewy bodies.
@@imogen-rc6lx can’t help but notice you went awfully quiet.
Alzheimer’s is a very cruel disease for the person suffering from the disease and for the entire family 😢😥
After several decades paying into his social security and medical insurance, and yet they'll not pay out for my 96 year old father's Alzheimer's care. IT IS A DISEASE!
Go to your National news paper and share your story.
I’m almost 74 and changed my diet nine years ago. Mostly organic no gluten. Long term insurance in line in case of stroke etc. I work 12 hours a week 4 hours a day for an independent resident place. They try so hard but dementia and walking is difficult for them. Exercise and being social is the key.
I have many uncles and aunts, out of all of them, the one that was the jovial one, the most alive one, at 70 years old has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Not only that her ex husband and the father of my cousins, has been diagnosed with this disease for about 10 years now.
My Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 75 years age. That was seven years ago. What I am really afraid now is that she will left us soon as it is incurable.😢
It’s the same statistics here in Canada, I’m 54 in five days, I was just diagnosed with Alzheimer’s yesterday, being adopted, I know nothing about my genetic medical history. Both my parents are alive and in their own home, I am their sole care provider, or at least I was. Since I was 20 I have been in the hospital more than I have been out of it, because of Crohn’s disease and intestinal cancer, resulting in 37 operations removing over 95% of my G.I. tract, creating nine other secondary chronic diseases. I was finally just now getting my life back, but noticed over the last couple of months my memory has been absolutely horrific, and because it runs in my Family, the family I grew up with, I thought I would have myself tested, but never thought in 1 million years it would come back positive. I’ve spent my entire adult life dealing with 11 chronic diseases, two of them nearly fatal, dying once for three minutes and nearly dying four more times as the cancer relapsed four times in total, I thought I had beating the odds, and now this, how in gods name am I going to tell my family, who has sacrificed everything for the past 34 years of their lives for me because of my illnesses? I’ve had my funeral prearranged for quite some time, because of past instances when I was told I was going to die for certain, but somehow survived, so I’m not worried about that, I’m worried about who’s going to care for my parents as I am an only child, who is going to take care of my own family? I’m in a same-sex marriage for those 34 years as well. We met shortly before I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, and I’ve put him and our son through hell and back, not intentionally of course, always feeling so guilty for disrupting my entire family for something beyond my control, and I finally got them to stop worrying about me Because I thought I was turning a corner as I don’t have any more intestine left to remove. I’m seriously considering assisted suicide, it’s legal here in Ontario, the province I live in, and I’m sure my doctors would be more than willing to agree as I have almost gone through with assisted suicide twice before when my cancer was supposed to kill me slowly and painfully. By some miracle i pulled through, and the Doctor Who gave me my diagnosis a few days ago agreed with me that there shouldn’t be any problem in getting a doctor to assist my early demise, I will not put my family through any more trauma, and I will not put myself through any more torture. I already lost Both my grandparents, several aunts and uncles, to Alzheimer’s, I watch them go from a perfectly healthy independent individual, to a completely vegetative state, and a slow agonizing terrifying decline that happens in between, I am not going to let that happen to me. This is one fight I just can’t win, I thought I could be happy, but I was wrong. If I sound angry it’s because I am, I’m furious! I’ve already lost 34 years of my life to battling deadly illnesses, so proud of myself that I actually managed to survive, but now they tell me I have a disease that is absolutely without a doubt going to kill me slowly and painfully? No, I am not going to put myself or my family through any of that, even if my government didn’t support assisted suicide, I would take my own life either way. All I can say is I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, Beyond that there’s nothing else I can say, there’s nothing anyone can say, because it is what it is, a death sentence, and I’m too impatient to wait for years and wash my body and mind fall apart before me, I won’t do it, I can’t do it, I just hate that it has come to this. I haven’t told anybody yet, my name here is not my real name, so I can’t say it out loud on KZhead, but how in the hell do I tell my family? After they literally sacrificed their entire lives for me, I’m about to tell them something that’s going to absolutely destroy them, all that sacrifice they made was for nothing, because I’m going to die anyways now, I am overwhelmed with guilt and anger, what the hell did I do in life to deserve this? All I ever wanted was to help the people I love, give my family the best possible life I could, but all I ever got was challenge after challenge after challenge, never receiving a break. Forgive me, but I’m just not in my right mind at the moment, and I might as well get used to it because as it progresses, I’m going to lose myself, so I have to act fast while I’m still in control of my faculties, so I can take my life on my own terms, and I have to do it before the disease erodes my mind any further. I’m just so angry, and terrified. I have faced death many times, that doesn’t scare me, I’ve always known I was going to die young, but I never thought it would be this young. I never had a chance to do any of the things I wanted to do in life, and now it’s too late. My neurologist told me I’ve probably had Alzheimer’s for the last five years but just didn’t know it, much of it brought on or at least accelerated by all the anaesthesia and chemotherapy, now they tell me! What would you do? How would you tell your family? I don’t know what the hell I’m doing anymore, I so desperately want to be able to stay and be healthy, but that is not an option for me anymore. God help me, and thanks for letting me vent, I pray to God none of you ever have to face what I am facing and what I have faced call my life.
NEVER GIVE UP!!! YOU ARE OF GREAT COURAGE AND A TRUE WARRIOR!!! GOD WILL CALL YOU HOME WHEN HE HAS PREPARED TO CALL YOU. PLACE YOUR LIFE IN HIS HANDS! HE WILL WELCOME YOU WITH " WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT" GOD GAVE YOU LIFE AND ONLY HE WILL TAKE IT WHEN THE TIME COMES. I WILL PRAY FOR YOU ❤
@@roxy4158 thank you so much for you kind, uplifting words, it means a lot…I pray you’re right. I’ve made my share of mistakes in life, and I’ve sinned, but constantly beg for forgiveness, I pray he can offer it. I’ve never broken the law, or done anything evil or cruel, but I’m cursed with a horribly guilty conscience for every little mistake I’ve made, I remember them all. Yes, I learned from them, and never repeated them. so when when my time comes, and I stand before the lord to answer for my sins, I’ll be in tears. Not from fear, but from a life long desire, and joy, for my ultimate dream, to be in his Devine presence, something I’ve literally dreamed about, but I always awake before he speaks…I literally pray to god he can forgive and welcome me to the paradise that awaits us all. God bless, and thanks again xo
@LabDoctor in the 416 i understand what you are saying and how you are feeling. It was exactly my experience as well. I was drowning in regrets and guilt and disobeyed every one of the 10 Commandments in thought, word, or actions. I begged for forgiveness and that God would cover those sins from my tormented memory. I'm free of those thoughts now!!! This is my prayer: BLESSED HOLY TRINITY GOD THE FATHER GOD THE SON. and GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT I SURRENDER MY LIFE TO YOU MY BODY MYSOUL MY SPIRIT TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING AMEN AMEN AMEN I am feeling at peace and spend quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament. I pray for the vulnerable and suffering of the world and the Holy Souls in Purgatory. I'm catholic and give thanks for God's Mercy and God's Grace. Its been a long journey for me but I'm walking with Jesus. Invite Jesus into your life. He waits for us to call out to Him. He will never leave you or forsake you. God bless you abundantly ❤️
How are you today! I am touched by the story of your life. Too painful to read.
I would like to know who the hell is spending that much on this disease? My Husband has Dementia and where is the cost when it comes to your family. The meds are cheap and do absolutely nothing. I've spent a ton on my own trying different therapies for him and nothing helps. I do it all by my self and nobody cares. We care for them until they become violent and this is so devastating in and of itself. It all comes down to fluoride, aluminum, mercury, herbicides, insecticides. No one is protected from this disease.
Its hard
The only thing that can help a little bit in the first stage of Alzheimer's, is a multivitamin tablet.
Your correct. Aluminum has been a known culprit for decades as we as the other environmental substances. I wish you strength and good health. Please take time for yourself.
None of these things are the reason we have Alzheimers and dementia. Scientists are human not Gods. They are doing the best they can. Maybe you should thank a scientist or a Doctor once in awhile for ALL that has been done to save your lives from simple viruses such as the flu. Ingrates
DEMENTIA CURE: Thanks for all these comments and for sharing some of your own story. I am a 74-year-old man, I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 15 years ago, I always like to use my experience in a positive way to educate others. It is common knowledge that Alzheimer's robs people of their ability to remember. Having dementia for me was lonely, isolating and scary. But when people share their stories, it can provide inspiration, hope and a welcome reminder that you are not alone. Homeocure Worldwide is natural cure medicine. The professional had earlier told me there is no cure, I asked professional to explain this to me? They said it is a miracle. All the patients I have directed to Homeocure Worldwide return with thanks. Don't let drug companies keep you as a slave to their mediocre medications. Don't let them tell you there's nothing that will help you. Today I can say that I'm living life instead of surviving it. For more info, contact Homeocure Worldwide or drmakusm@gmail.com
The doctor with the woman in the white shirt, that woman is like this woman that I help care for that has dementia. You can say something to her, like ask her a very simple thing or tell her a very simple thing, & she’ll respond with an “ok I heard you” or “I get it”, but then there’s this blank pause of trying to register but can’t. I’ve been with her just over a month & a 1/2, & I’ve seen the progression even in that short amount of time.
Cruel dignity stripping disease :-(
DJosephWells TRUE THAT!
My mom passed away with alzheimers if I had one wish It would be for a cure for alzheimers
My moms journey was also 10 years...a log long goodbye heart wrenching 😢
The Doctor is correct it does Not discriminate.
Could sugar be causing this disease. Insulin resistance in the brain? Just trying to understand why this disease is happening so frequently.
I feel what those in this video feel, especially Leeza. I lost my father Sept 2012 to this horrible disease. I was his caregiver the last several years of his life.
Prays for a cure 🙏🙏🙏🙏
So very sad😢
I was expecting to see more of a discussion about the actual cost of Alzheimer's my mother had Alzheimer's and passed away 5 years ago I was retired at the time when she got really bad so she and my dad who had dementia moved in with me it's almost funny now how I thought Alzheimer's and Dementia were the same thing but they're not they are very different as my mother progressed in her disease some type of long-term care the cost however was prohibitive and most places did not offer discounts for multiple family members and would have cost next to $10,000 a month in addition the majority of places required a full-time caregiver or nurse even if that cost a full-time sitter or private nurse supervision it's required therefore I took care of both of them and they lived with me for the last 7 years of their lives I spent the last of my retirement money paying for them to be buried I don't regret spending the money or the time to take care of them I do regret another poster said people including family will disappear to escape the responsibility of care outside of the financial burden the emotional burden and the toll it takes on your life is beyond measure at least I was retired and had a retirement plan my mother did not receive Social Security as she never worked my dad works for 40 years however his Social Security to pay for groceries this is the cost of Alzheimer's
Oh god, this is so horrible...
my brother has it.he l8ves with me.i cant do this long.he is having trouble eating.talking
It is about time that's government did something constructive about Alzheimer's they spend money on all these stupid trivial things War is 1
It must be something in our diet or exposure to something
I've wondered that as well, especially with all the cases of early-onset Alzheimers. I've seen stories on YT of people in their 30's!! I'm 66; my mother is 87 and the first noticeable memory impairment occurred about three years ago although, in retrospect, there were signs at least a year earlier that we missed. In reading posts on the Alzheimers caregivers forums, the majority of people are in their 40's-50's caring for their parents with dementia who are in their 60's-70's. YIKES!! I go to a Dr. who uses supplements instead of or to support medication and he now has me on several supplements that protect brain functioning.
Perhaps all the pesticides and GMOs in our food ?..hormones added to our milk ? The unexplained prevalence of this disease also creates a tremendous amount of jobs within the Social Care industry and an enormous amount of revenue from Care Homes..which boost the economy not to mention boosting the profits of the pharmaceutical industry..illness and the treatment of it..sadly is Big Business.. I wonder what percentage of those profits are set aside for research into this disease which is the SINGLE FASTEST GROWING DISEASE NOT JUST AMONGST THE ELDERLY BUT INEXPLICABLY BECOMING MORE PREVALENT IN OUR YOUNGER POPULATION ??? We should all be asking..WHY ? Finding answers should be priority for Governments around the world..
Sad video
medicare "offers" 100 days of caregivers...really??? it is very costly..costs me 2000 a month to take care of my 95 year old father 2 aides 2 hrs a day....
Any way to prevent it?
Dr, Eric Berg has a new video out. Not what you think. Not plaque on the brain like though.
And what has happened to that "national plan"....??? That was 10 years ago people!!!
💜💜💜💜🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Both my dads were extreme alcoholics and then this guy taught me how do do something my dad never taught me to do. We became best friends and we fished, hunted and so on and then he held a kitchen knife to my sisters throat!He told me prison guards knocked him to the ground but he would get his drivers license back but then he passed out at home and was comatosed and died!
No one cares about your sob story.
A very cruel remark, why did you have to be so cruel?
I hope since you wrote this six years ago some nice things have come your way.
So sorry, so very sorry, for everything so much suffering in the world
*DEMENTIA CURE:* Thanks for all these comments and for sharing some of your own story. I am a 74-year-old man, I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 15 years ago, I always like to use my experience in a positive way to educate others. It is common knowledge that Alzheimer's robs people of their ability to remember. Having dementia for me was lonely, isolating and scary. But when people share their stories, it can provide inspiration, hope and a welcome reminder that you are not alone. Homeocure Worldwide is natural cure medicine. The professional had earlier told me there is no cure, I asked professional to explain this to me? They said it is a miracle. All the patients I have directed to Homeocure Worldwide return with thanks. Don't let drug companies keep you as a slave to their mediocre medications. Don't let them tell you there's nothing that will help you. Today I can say that I'm living life instead of surviving it. For more info, contact Homeocure Worldwide or drmakusm@gmail.com
Seems they talk too much about the cost. My dad is in home hospice right now with Alzheimer's, about to die - isn't his life worth any cost? Also wish researchers would stop dismissing the possibility of a microbial component's involvement...the herpes virus that causes cold sores, chlamydia, spirochetes, fungal infections have all been implicated. You need to be looking for the cause in order to find a cure.
C Anderson I am so sorry
Many more younger folks are going to get this.
Check ONLINE medical records for nutrient deficiencies or irregularities in blood work. My Mom's WHITE BLOOD CELL count was dropping and her doctors never mentioned it even though I asked about it. They kept us in the dark until she passed. Her immune system was compromised and I didn't piece that together until it was too late. I cared for her full time for 3 years.
Where is that national plan?
You cant stop it its part of life. Let it gooo
Sugar
My 91 year old mother has Alzheimer's stage 4. She is fiercely independent, stubborn and refuses all help on offer. She lives alone and does not have a registered carer. My sister lives nearby and sees her on a daily basis. Mother's needs increase as rapidly as her decline, yet still she refuses to admit that she struggles and can no longer cope. We are now at the stage where she is in need of surgical intervention on her arthritic hip. Mother will not even use a walking stick or contemplate any walking assisted aid e.g. zimmer frame. Her stubbornness, denial and delusion is breathtaking. I no longer respect her as my mother because of how she has become over the last 4 years. Alzheimer's is a cruel thief.
Why on EARTH don’t you respect her. SHE is battling this the only way she knows how.
My 87 year old mother is EXACTLY the same. She lives alone and we live 250 miles away. She flatly refuses help of any kind. She will not see a doctor and if they call she tells them there is nothing wrong with her. The doctor said that we have to wait for something to happen before anything can happen. It’s just awful. We feel so helpless. She has patient choice. What we have to remember though is that it is the disease that is taking our mothers that we knew away bit by bit. It is so hard though to be the patient, understanding daughter but every day I try. Good luck to you and all your family.
@@timprescott4634 oh dear not very compassionate, /empathetic are you sir.
@@kitfrew9983 I am both. I was primary care for my mother for 12 years. Regardless of how much she forgot, how stubborn she was, how hateful her words were, how she didn’t know me, how she lost the ability to speak, bathe, use the bathroom, walk, and ultimately eat and drink, she was ALWAYS my mother and I ALWAYS respected and loved her right up until the moment I woke up sitting next to her bed at midnight on 10 April 2020 and knew her fight was over. You have no idea who I am or what I feel.
@@timprescott4634 you're right I have no idea of who you are or what you feel. What I do know is regardless of what we become I life , no one should ever lose respect for they're loved ones. Dementia is a dreadful dreadful, illness to have to deal with and watch as our loved ones dissappear before our eyes, but to lose respect for who they are /were is terrible in my thinking.
This is a terrible video...talking about Baby Boomers wrecking the economy because of Alzheimer's...it may well be true, but it sure doesn't make us feel any better! Don't forget cancer too...while you're discussing this disease...CANCER IS TOO, PEOPLE...lest we forget that it takes people a small piece at a time too...there are other terminal illnesses out there, that are just as devastating to a family too!! I totally agree that Alzheimer's is a horrible terminal disease, but so is cancer and so is a lot of other terminal diseases!!
Don't worry ! Your time will come ! You have climate change to look forward to ! Just think what the republicans are going to do to you !
@@ag-om6nr I don't have to worry, because I'm proudly a Democrat, bucko!!
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wow, the narrators nasaly voice makes this video almost unwatchable.