by Teresa Anderson, MPH

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is the most common form of dementia however it is not a normal part of the aging process. Currently there is not a cure but there are treatments for symptoms that can slow progression of the disease and improve quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. There are nearly 5.4 million people in the U.S. living with various stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists are not exactly sure why but people with Down syndrome are at a higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s. Research related to the increase risk suggests it may be linked to the additional copy of chromosome 21. The National Down Syndrome Society estimates that approximately 30% of people with Down syndrome who are in their 50’s have Alzheimer’s dementia.

The National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG) was organized in late 2010 when the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry, along with the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Aging with Developmental Disabilities-Lifespan Health and Function at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Center on Excellence in Aging at the University at Albany, combined their efforts and created the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices.  The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) was signed in 2011 in an effort to develop a coordinated national strategy to address Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. The National Task Group was charged with complementing the NAPA effort and ensuring that the concerns and needs of people with intellectual disabilities and their families, when affected by dementia, are considered as part of this national strategy.

To learn more about the NTG, the work they are doing and resources visit: https://aadmd.org/ntg