Florida Universities Lead the Way in Dementia Research
Where can you go for great weather, year-round golfing, beautiful night skies, fishing, boating, no state taxes, a low cost-of-living, and the best seafood in the country? For seniors looking to retire in Florida, there is one more perk to add to this list: dementia care research. Since the late 1990s, American researchers have searched for treatments and preventions for organic brain syndrome, which includes diseases like Alzheimer’s type dementia, senile dementia, and vascular dementia, among others. The broad spectrum of dementia disorders is a hot topic, and rightly so. The statistics are shocking.
How Big Is The Dementia Problem In America?
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, one in three seniors will die with dementia. Moreover, dementia is the sixth leading cause of death in America, and by 2050, it is estimated that dementia will cost the American people over $1.1 trillion. So, naturally, our top scientists are hard at work trying to solve this epidemic.
The Villages Are Perfectly Located For Those Seeking Dementia Care
Perhaps by coincidence, The Villages sit squarely between two of the largest research universities in the country – University of Florida and University of South Florida. And best of all, both universities offer outstanding dementia research opportunities.
What Top Medical Programs Are Available To Seniors In The Villages?
The Villages is just a short one-hour drive from the University of Florida’s Neurology Department, which hosts a cognition and memory unit focused on helping those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Just a little over an hour from The Villages sits the University of South Florida’s Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, which hosts some of the nation’s leading scientists and researchers. The seven-story institute rests just on the north side of the Tampa campus of University of South Florida and is at the forefront of researching the causes and potential cures for all forms of dementia. The institute accepts community patients and offers some of the most groundbreaking imaging programs available today.
What To Do If Someone You Love Is Suffering From Dementia
Researchers often comment that the leading cause of Alzheimer’s disease is old age. While perhaps tongue and cheek, this answer is fairly accurate. Over the last 30 years, we have seen a huge increase in life expectancy in America. In short, people are just living longer than before. So, while previous generations succumbed to heart disease, cancer, or accidental deaths, today’s seniors are far more likely to receive outstanding medical care well into their 80s, leaving them to live far longer than their parents’ and grandparents’’ generations. It should, therefore, come as no surprise that the rate of dementia has increased as well. When a loved one begins showing signs of dementia, it can be emotionally overwhelming, and you may be tempted to wait it out to see if it goes away. While some memory loss in old age is natural, there comes a time when testing is necessary.
If you suspect someone you care about is having substantial gaps in memory, losing track of time, misplacing things, or forgetting key places, people or things, you should reach out to your healthcare provider or one of the terrific community resources located at Florida’s top research institutions. Finally, since dementia can progress rapidly, rendering its victim unable to make decisions, you should also consult a local elder law attorney at the Millhorn Elder Law Planning Group to ensure someone is properly appointed to make decisions for your loved one and to protect their estate and healthcare wishes. Do not leave these things to chance.
