According to the Alzheimer's Association 2014 Facts and Figures report released in March, a woman's estimated lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer's at age 65 is 1 in 6, compared with nearly 1 in 11 for a man. As real a concern as breast cancer is to women's health, females in their 60s are about twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's over the remainder of their lives compared to breast cancer.

"While Alzheimer's disease can affect both men and women, women are the epicenters of Alzheimer's disease - making up the majority of both people living with the disease and caregivers," explained Alzheimer's Association Greater Indiana Chapter Executive Director Heather Hershberger. "There has been tremendous progress in treating breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes and HIV/AIDS through well-deserved investments by the federal government. Comparable investments are now needed to realize the same success with Alzheimer's in preventing and treating the disease. Our community needs to come together to fight against this disease," she added. Their local website is: www.alz.org/indiana.

A brochure for an April 25 Alzheimer Association Education Conference is at: www.alz.org/documents/indiana/Conference_Brochure(1).pdf. Located at the Indianapolis Marriott North at 3645 River Crossing near the Fashion Mall, the event features three keynote speakers: David Morgan, Ph.D., CEO/Executive Director of the University of South Florida Heath Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Steven Sabat, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology at Georgetown University and Matthew Baumgart, Senior Director of Public Policy for the Alzheimer's Association. The conference commences with a 7:30 a.m. check-in that includes a continental breakfast. The Alzheimer's Association's Greater Indiana Chapter "invites professionals, family caregivers, friends or anyone who would like to learn more. Attendees will learn from a variety of presenters on a wide range of subjects to help better understand the disease and how to best care for those with Alzheimer's and related dementia."

There are 2.5 times as many women than men providing intensive "on-duty" care 24 hours for someone living with Alzheimer's. Among caregivers who feel isolated, women are much more likely than men to link isolation with feeling depressed (17 percent of women vs. 2 percent of men) in a recent survey.

"Not only are women mothers, wives and employees - they are also caregivers and care partners. Research shows that women are more likely than men to provide care for loved ones living with Alzheimer's disease, but perhaps even more significant, findings show that women are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease over time than men. We can easily see that women are impacted by Alzheimer's disease in many ways, and it's time to do something about it," said Leah Shattuck, Communications Director of the Alzheimer's Association Greater Indiana Chapter."

The strain of caring for someone with Alzheimer's is also felt in the workplace. Among caregivers who have been employed while they were also caregiving: 20 percent of women vs. 3 percent of men went from working full-time to working part-time while acting as a caregiver. Additional statistics revealed that 18 percent of women vs. 11 percent of men took a leave of absence, 11 percent of women vs. 5 percent of men gave up work entirely and 10 percent of women vs. 5 percent of men lost job benefits.

An Indiana Chapter Alzheimer Association press release mentioned, "These numbers are set to soar as the baby boomers continue to enter the age of greatest risk for Alzheimer's. Unless something is done to change the course of the disease, there could be as many as 16 million Americans living with Alzheimer's in 2050, at a cost of $1.2 trillion (in current dollars) to the nation. This dramatic rise includes a 500 percent increase in combined Medicare and Medicaid spending and a 400 percent increase in out-of-pocket spending. The country's first-ever National Alzheimer's Plan has a goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's disease by 2025. Ensuring strong implementation, including adequately funding research, is the best way to avoid these human and financial tolls.

On February 7, 2012, the Obama Administration announced a historic $156 million investment to tackle Alzheimer's disease that includes increasing research funding. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) dedicated an additional $50 million from its fiscal year 2012 budget. They are also sustaining and increasing Alzheimer's research investment. A fiscal year 2013 budget proposes $80 million in new Alzheimer's funding. An initiative also includes $26 million to support the National Plan goals supporting people with Alzheimer's and their families by educating the public and healthcare providers. This includes education and outreach to improve the public's understanding of Alzheimer's, outreach to enhance health care providers' knowledge, expanded support for people with Alzheimer's disease and caregivers in the community and improved data collection and analysis to better understand its' impact on people, families and the health and long-term care systems. This initiative aims to take immediate action on Alzheimer's disease and provides support for ideas being developed through this National Plan. The full text of the Alzheimer's Association Facts and Figures can be viewed at www.alz.org.

If someone you know is affected by Alzheimer's, contact their national 24-hour hotline at 800-272-3900 to learn more about support groups and resources in your area or call the local Indiana chapter at 575-9620.