Dear Friends,

They range in age from 44 to 62. The defining events of their young lives were momentous — the Beatles coming to America, the Cold War, the assassination of JFK, “duck and cover” drills, TV dinners, the women’s movement, Woodstock, Vietnam, and Watergate..

They are Baby Boomers — a generation unlike any other. They take care of themselves, exercising, eating right and reading up on all the latest medical advancements. As the largest cohort in the nation’s history, they will outlive any previous generation. Yet estimates are that by the year 2050, 16 million of them will have Alzheimer’s disease. As many as ten percent will be under the age of 60. A disease once thought of as a sad old person’s problem will kill otherwise healthy, active Americans.

It’s difficult to fathom the enormity of this coming problem, but Alzheimer’s looms as the leading public health crisis of the 21st century. Our nation is unprepared to withstand the extraordinary pressure of so many people being ill and needing care.

Nursing homes and hospitals will lack sufficient beds. There won’t be enough trained health care workers. Insurance coverage for supplemental caregiving expenses — already inadequate — will be tapped out. Inflexible family-leave policies will force untold numbers of caregivers to leave the job market. The demand for Chapter services will also explode exponentially as one in five New Yorkers will have Alzheimer’s disease or be caring for someone who does.

Baby Boomers are savvy. As a group, they are more aware of these issues than their parents’ generation. They recognize that Alzheimer’s is a physical disease, nothing to be ashamed of. As evidenced by the kinds of calls coming in to our 24-hour Helpline, Boomers want to know, “Am I ill? And if I am, what can I do about it?”

With no cure or adequate treatments in sight, if Baby Boomers expect to maintain the quality of life they now enjoy, they must transform this awareness into action. Doing so is easy. Get involved. Enroll in a clinical trial. Scientists need data on healthy brains for research studies. Walk with us at Memory Walk. Join us to advocate in Albany or Washington — or better yet, do both. Write to elected officials and urge them to make funding for Alzheimer’s a real priority. Just as in the 1950s and ’60s when the space race drove our national priorities, today, studying the brain — perhaps the last frontier — must dominate government’s agenda if we are to avoid a mid-century health care disaster.

One way to learn more — join us for our Annual Meeting on September 17th. Three eminent research scientists will take us on a fascinating exploration of “Nature vs. Nurture: The Role of Genetics in Alzheimer’s Research.” And dust off those walking shoes, Memory Walk is just around the corner on October 26th in beautiful Riverside Park. I look forward to seeing you and thanking you personally for your support.

— Lou-Ellen Barkan President & CEO

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