Chapter 5: Introduction to Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease has begun to attract the attention of national leaders around the world. As a disease that primarily affects elderly adults, it is growing in importance as the world’s population ages. In fact, as life expectancy increases on a yearly basis and as baby boomers begin entering their sixth decade of life, Alzheimer’s disease has evolved into a public health crisis. Alzheimer’s has acquired national attention in recent years, and has been acted upon by President Barack Obama, who in 2011 signed into existence the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, or NAPA for short. This piece of legislation established a national strategic plan focused on containing the growing issue of Alzheimer’s disease. It sought to increase funding to researchers focused on treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, as well as increasing funding and resources to Alzheimer’s disease national organizations and the families of patients afflicted by the disease…