A number of people when they age develop dementia. This is the slow loss in memory which many associate with aging. There is hope for those facing old age, as dementia is on the decline especially for educated people.
Dementia is coming down in numbers. This has been the findings of a study by a team of researchers led by Kenneth Langa M.D., Ph.D. and a Sturgis Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan. One reason for this is because more people now have at least a high school education as compared to those who came earlier. It has been discovered in the study that those who have education have fewer number of dementia.
Langa noted that caring for the elderly who have dementia would not be as extensive as expected. He said that the economic impact for elderly care would have much changes, though he also said that elderly care would still be one of the top priorities in the coming years. Health care policies might have to be reevaluated with this finding.
Data for the study came from the cognitive test results from the long term Health and Retirement Study. From the data taken, it showed that 11.6 percent of people met the criteria for dementia in 2000. That went down to 8.8 percent by 2012, according to the University of Michigan's site.
David R. Weir, Ph.D. is a senior author and the director for the Health and Retirement Study. He observed that education is playing a big role in lowering the cases of dementia. He stressed though that the number of elderly is also growing, so elderly care would still require much budget. Another study on the dementia is being planned by the Health and Retirement Study group.
Langa has further noted that a growing disparity is forming between those who have education and wealth when it comes to dementia. This is leading up to those who can still be able to support themselves in their early years as opposed to those needing care, as Science Daily reports. Langa does not discount though other factors that can help in lessening dementia's impact, such as reading, occupation and social interaction.
Other factors that can help in lessening dementia is lowering blood pressure and decreasing the risk of diabetes. These have been found to have much effect on those who have dementia later on. Dementia has a variety of causes that need to be evaluated and studied. In another study that has been reported earlier, e-cigarettes can damage the gums and teeth.
