Two separate but related articles in the USA Today.
Good news and bad news.
The good news is a handful of big industries have added jobs at a remarkably high rate throughout the recession according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. One of those lucky industries is health care where every part of the $2.5 trillion industry is growing and hiring has continued non-stop at hospital, out-patient clinics and physician offices. Nearly every job is in demand: nurses, lab technicians, physician assistants.
The bad news is that this increased hiring activity is a direct result of the aging population and their increased need for services. In particular - Alzheimer's - where the USA Today article titled Alzheimer's on a relentless upward trajectory discusses how the number of people who have Alzheimer's disease is creeping insidiously higher year after year and adding increasing pressure on the health care system. A report out today, the 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures,
indicates that an estimated 5.1 million Americans over 65 now have
Alzheimer's.
The triple whammy for Alzheimer's victims, their family and society is that health care costs for dementia are more than three times higher than costs for older Americans who are not afflicted! Trust me, after having just dealt with caring for a loved with Alzheimer's I can assure you this is a fact.
Unfortunately says Bill Thies, chief medical and scientific officer of the Alzheimer's Association (which compiled the report) "we're seeing the government reducing dollars for Alzheimer's disease. Clearly, that's an equation going in the wrong direction."
I agree.
Your post is eye opening to say the least and packed with the reality of our current situation. We can hope for medicine to help with the scope but the responsibility is ours.
Early diagnosis is critical. Be sure to have family checked for memory disorders since slowing the progression of the diseases may be the best that can be done today.
Posted by: Mike Endredy | March 27, 2009 at 09:57 AM