Earlier Alzheimer's Diagnosis

Lauren Ellerman

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The Alzheimer's Association hosted atown hall meeting about the early stages of the disease, Monday, May 12, 2008, in Washington. Patients, activists and familiesjoined togetherto lobby and educate down the halls of Congress for more money to hunt treatments. They're advising top scientists to push for higher-stakes research even if it means higher risks.

"It's labeled incurable and you end up being a vegetable. People think as soon as you're labeled that way, you are. A lot of us aren't," says Hayen, 74, a retired San Diego physician who joined about 30 other early-stage Alzheimer's patients last month for a lobbying blitz at the nation's capital. "I can still speak for those who can't."

More than 5 million Americans are estimated to be living with Alzheimer's disease, although no one knows how many have been diagnosed. But research suggests as many as half of Alzheimer's sufferers may be in the disease's early stages. Doctors say they've begun diagnosing far more people who still have years of independent living ahead them than they did just a few years ago. This is always good news - providing families with that window of opportunity to seek new treatments, change lifestyle habits, and of course, to make important financial, legal and health care plans.