Memory is worth protecting: Alzheimer's between the dignity of old age and the cost of delay

Writer: Rania Ghazi Abu Ghosh

When we talk about Alzheimer's, thoughts usually turn to the painful human scene: memory recedes, a family's roles change, and a person who was a support to others becomes in need of someone to support him. But this picture, important as it is, does not reveal the whole story. Dementia, the most prominent cause of which is Alzheimer's, is not a health issue that concerns the individual alone; Rather, it is an issue of family dignity, economic productivity, and long-term institutional readiness.

According to World Health Organization estimates, more than 55 million people around the world live with dementia, and the number is expected to rise to 78 million by 2030, and then to 139 million by 2050. This growth reflects not only an increase in cases, but also the transformation of dementia into one of the biggest challenges for care and social protection in the coming decades.

Economic numbers are no less important than health numbers. The global cost of dementia has exceeded $1.3 trillion annually, with expectations to rise to about $2.8 trillion by 2030. This cost is not limited to medications and hospitals; Rather, it extends to working hours lost by families, the exit of caregivers from the labor market, the erosion of savings, and increased pressure on health insurance and social protection.

Hence, Alzheimer's disease should be treated as a risk management issue, not just a late medical diagnosis. It is a slow-appearing danger, but it has a high impact. Every delay in early detection, organizing care, or supporting the family practically means moving the cost from a containable stage to a stage where the family alone becomes the last line of defense.

In Jordan, the population structure is still relatively young, but signs of aging merit early preparation. The population aged 65 years and over reached about 434.6 thousand people at the end of 2024, equivalent to 3.7% of the population. The number should not be read as limited; Because the impact of dementia is measured not only by the number of cases, but also by the length of the care period, the needs of the family, and the availability of organized services outside the hospital.

The most important scientific update came from the 2024 Lancet Commission report, which concluded that addressing 14 modifiable risk factors could delay or prevent up to 45% of dementia cases at the population level. These factors include: high blood pressure, diabetes, harmful cholesterol in middle age, smoking, physical inactivity, social isolation, hearing loss, and untreated vision loss, in addition to other factors across life stages. This percentage does not mean that all cases are preventable, but it means that prevention is not a slogan; Rather, it is a health and social investment that has a real impact.

The wisest economy is not one that waits for cost inflation and then looks for provisions for it, but one that builds prevention and containment early. This requires a more accurate national case registry, clear referral pathways between primary care and specialists, expanded early detection, qualification of home caregivers, and psychological and practical support for the family. It also requires an investment environment that encourages long-term care services, appropriate health insurance, and digital solutions that help the family and doctor maintain safe and regular follow-up.

The elderly do not need a rhetoric that pities them, but rather a system that respects their experience, their dignity, and their right to safe old age. Memory is not a luxury, but rather part of a person’s identity, independence, and status within his family and society.

The issue in the end is not to count the sick when it is too late, but rather to prevent the disease from turning into a silent drain on family income, productive capacity, and the public budget. Alzheimer's does not suddenly knock on the door; It's progressing slowly. Therefore, our protection of memory today is, in essence, a protection of human dignity, the family economy and the future of society.