April 18, 2012, Bilthoven, The Netherlands - For what a century ago was still unthinkable, today the world counts a record number of centenarians.
That is good news but unfortunately has its downside. We are all getting older and thus increases the need for proper care and assistance. The strong increase of people getting older is a fact and therefore the increase in the number of people suffering from dementia with more than 36 million people today, to about 115 million in 2050. Worldwide, the cost of dementia is estimated at $604 Billion by 2030 and a cost increase of 85% is expected. (source: World Alzheimer Yearly report 2010/2011). During the International conference march 2012 of the Alzheimer's disease (ADI) dementia was indicated to be a time bomb ticking in healthcare. Dementia is already in the top six leading causes of death in the U.S. and the only one in the top 10 that cannot be prevented or even delayed.
A global concern with tremendous impact if not addressed; How can we keep cost down yet ensure proper healthcare for years to come?
