Alzheimer's: Urgency to Find a Cure

Jim Wilgus, Executive Director for the Washington State Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show. Suzanne and Jim talk about the Alzheimer's Association accelerating clinical research into cures for Alzheimer's and Dementia, funding about $430 million for 1,100 projects in 56 countries. The Alzheimer's Association has a division of medical science leadership and officers, plus hundreds of volunteers and researchers.

Jim says, "The United States is funding at an exponentially higher level, significantly of nearly $4 billion at the federal level compared to when I started in 2010. It was at just about 40 or 50 million. And so now the research funding is rivaling that of cancer and heart and HIV AIDS and the urgency of getting that funding advanced from 2013 14 or so to where it is today means largely through the efforts of the Alzheimer's Association and our thousands of advocates that are that go to D.C. and that work at their districts and home as volunteers in all 50 states."

"One in nine over 65, and one in three over 85, [are at risk for Alzheimer's]. And when I started in 2010, one of the things that we did as an association was participated with a corporation to have a float in the Rose Bowl Parade, which is on January 1st every year. And it was 2011, which was the very first day that Baby Boomers turned 65. And it was to bring attention to the fact that this generation, over an 18-year span, is going to be turning 65 at 10,000 people a day."

Visit https://www.alz.org/trialmatch to find clinical trials in your area.

• Alzheimer's Association website
• About Alzheimer's and Dementia
• Call their helpline at 800.272.3900
• Hear more podcasts about the Alzheimer's Association
• Hear more podcasts about the Walk to End Alzheimers

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks