RHINELANDER, WI (WSAU-WXPR) — The Alzheimer’s Association, along with Wisconsin Public Television, are bringing a local screening of an acclaimed documentary to Rhinelander later this month.
“Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts” is a one-hour documentary which highlights the national threat posed by the disease. Local Alzheimer’s Association community outreach specialist Julie St. Pierre says the documentary shows how an aging population will strain our health care resources.
St. Pierre said, “Not just on families immediately affected by the disease but by the community at large. Most of us have heard of the ‘silver tsunami’. The silver tsunami was when the Baby Boomer generation turned 65.”
She says that while the large number of older Americans was expected, what was a surprise was the number of people at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease. St. Pierre says age is the number one risk factor for getting the disease.
“One out of nine people at age 65 have Alzheimer’s Disease and one out of three at age 85 have Alzheimer’s. So when we look now at this wave of people at greatest risk for developing Alzheimer’s, we’re recognizing that the number of people affected is not going to impact the families caring for that person with the disease, but they’re going to influence the community at large.”
The screening in the Rhinelander area is Thursday, February 23 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the former Lakeside Theater, now the Nicolet College Theater.
