More than 236,000 Ohioans have Alzheimer's

More than 7 million American seniors now live with Alzheimer's disease — the highest number ever recorded — including more than 236,000 Ohioans.
Why it matters: As Alzheimer's diagnoses rise, the federal funding for medical research that's critical to preventing and treating it is at risk of being cut.
By the numbers: About 11.3% of Ohioans 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's, according to 2025 data shared in a new Alzheimer's Association report.
Nearly 5,000 Ohioans die from the disease each year.
Between the lines: According to the 2020 census, Ohio is on pace to have more residents over 60 than residents under 20.
Meanwhile, 2023 data from the American Community Survey showed that Cleveland's 65-69 age group experienced the highest percentage growth of any age demographic in the city.
Zoom out: Nearly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's are women, according to data cited in the report.
Risk increases with age: 5.1% of people aged 65-74 have it, and a third of people 85 and older have it.
What they're saying:"It doesn't surprise me" that Alzheimer's incidence has increased, because the population is aging and "we're becoming more sophisticated in our options for diagnosing and testing for Alzheimer's disease," Lakelyn Eichenberger, a gerontologist and caregiving advocate at Home Instead, tells Axios.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Forbes

4 hours ago

• Forbes

The Triple Threat Draining Workforce Productivity And Mental Health

Productivity and mental health are taking a hit for three reasons. Numbers never lie: it's why CEOs obsess over revenue targets, operational metrics, quarterly growth, and more. Yet beneath the spreadsheets and data dashboards lies an invisible crisis quietly eroding organizational strength and productivity: the deteriorating mental health and emotional resilience of today's workforce. A comprehensive 2025 State of the Workforce Report by meQuilibrium, surveying 5,477 employees across various industries, identified a troublesome "triple threat" that undermines employee performance and well-being: uncertainty, pessimism, and psychological disconnection. These aren't mere HR concerns; they're operational risks with quantifiable financial impacts. The data paints a clear picture: These challenges are silently sabotaging productivity, further inflating turnover costs, and increasingly impacting employee well-being. The Real Cost Of The Triple Threat Uncertainty alone led to a 68% increase in productivity impairment. Employees facing high uncertainty stress experience twice the risk of generalized anxiety disorders and nearly double the rate of burnout, costing American companies between $4,000 and $21,000 per employee annually, according to a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Pessimism compounds this impact significantly. Workers with negative job outlooks report a 64% decrease in productivity, alongside a staggering 128% higher risk of depression and 108% higher risk of anxiety compared to optimistic colleagues. The psychological disconnect further exacerbates productivity losses. Even employees displaying no signs of disconnect report an average productivity impairment of 29%, while severely disconnected employees experience impairment rates of up to 66%. This triple threat isn't fleeting; it's systemic and escalating, making employee mental health and emotional resilience one of your organization's significant, yet often overlooked, financial liabilities. Foundational Strategies To Improve Productivity And Mental Health A company thrives when its people thrive. Amid volatility and continuous disruptions, the greatest threat to any organization is a workforce characterized by stress, negativity, disengagement, and poor health. However, this crisis presents opportunities to cultivate resilience and strength. While each company is unique, these foundational actions can universally elevate employee well-being and productivity: Fitness offers more than aesthetics. It's a strategic investment. CEOs like Bob Iger strongly advocate for fitness because it improves their mood, focus, emotional regulation, executive presence, and resilience. To build a health-driven culture, leaders must actively model wellness practices. Sleep is equally critical. Improved sleep and recovery improve individuals' decision-making and emotional regulation and reduce team volatility. Prioritizing a health-first culture also serves as a strong talent attractor and retention tool. Ambiguity breeds stress, especially with technological disruptions like AI, which create concerns about job stability. Clear and consistent communication significantly mitigates uncertainty. Leaders must frequently reiterate their vision in a way that integrates each person seamlessly. Also key is establishing priorities and performance expectations along with transparency in explaining the rationale behind decisions. Vulnerability and candor strengthen trust, which further reduces speculation and disengagement among employees and investors alike. Soft skills matter significantly, even in the data-driven corporate world. As highlighted in the report, empathetic managers reduce uncertainty stress by 37% and disconnect by nearly 50%. CEOs and senior leaders can actively cultivate empathy through the following: Better Mental Well-Being Equals Improved Productivity Addressing the triple threat isn't merely beneficial—it's critical. The modern workforce faces numerous challenges that threaten employees' mental health and productivity. With ongoing volatility and persistent uncertainty, investing in mental health and resilience becomes not just advantageous but essential. As technology democratizes and ceases to offer unique competitive advantages, the companies that will lead tomorrow are those who invest significantly in their people's well-being today.

The Hill

5 hours ago

• The Hill

Why tariffs are already driving some healthcare premiums higher

Related video above: How patients and doctors can reduce healthcare costs (NEXSTAR) – Despite the focus on the price of cars, iPhones and other consumer goods, the Trump administration's tariffs are starting to drive up prices in an entirely different industry – healthcare. On Monday, Matt McGough, with nonprofit health policy organization KFF, wrote that several individual insurance companies have already notified state regulators that they will be raising premiums to offset the potential impact of tariffs on pharmaceuticals. Trump hasn't yet targeted pharmaceuticals with tariffs, but has repeatedly brought it up, including on Monday aboard Air Force One. 'We're going to be doing pharmaceuticals very soon,' Trump said, according to Reuters. 'That's going to bring all the companies back, into America.' In a May filing, the Independent Health Benefits Corporation (IHBC) said it was submitting a premium rate change of 38.4% for 2026, 'primarily due to increased costs due to inflation and tariffs, and changes in risk adjustment.' An IHBC spokesperson told Axios that roughly 3% of that increase was to directly account for the impact of tariffs, specifically on drug prices. McGough notes that there are other insurers who either haven't specifically mentioned the potential effect of tariffs or who declined to include an offsetting increase in 2026 premium rates. 'A large proportion of medical goods currently comes from international sources, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices and personal protective equipment, as well as other low-margin, high-use essentials like syringes, needles and blood pressure cuffs,' Tina Freese Decker, board chair of the American Hospital Association, wrote in a May post. 'Tariffs on these items could impact patient care by jeopardizing the availability of vital medications and essential health care devices. They also could raise costs for hospitals and heighten shortages and supply chain disruptions.' Meantime, millions of Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollees could see an over 75% average increase in premiums if Biden-era subsidies aren't extended by Congress before they expire at the end of the year, according to KFF estimates. How much tariffs are weighing on the calculations of insurers will become a bit more clear on Aug. 1, Axios notes, when proposed 2026 premium rates are posted.

Newsweek

6 hours ago

• Newsweek

The Key to Better Sleep Is in Your Gut, Says Gastroenterologist

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Around 25 million U.S. adults suffer from insomnia. At the same time, more than 3.9 million Americans are taking probiotics, usually for gut health, according to the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). And gut health could be the key to better sleep. A study published in the journal Engineering examined a specific probiotic strain called Lactobacillus helveticus CCFM1320. This probiotic produces a compound known as SAM (S-adenosylmethionine), which helps regulate the body's internal clock and supports the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. The researchers found that this probiotic could significantly improve sleep quality. The Gut as a Second Brain Neuroscientist Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, the head of sleep at Wesper, a national home sleep disorder diagnostics company, told Newsweek: "The gut essentially acts as a secondary nervous system and creates and releases many crucial neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which also help to regulate nervous system activity. "This allows for two-way communication between the gut and the brain, called the gut-brain axis. Healthy gut microbes are essential to keeping the gut healthy and functioning, and there is ample evidence that gut microbiota dysregulation can negatively impact the activity of the gut-brain axis. Because the brain is highly sensitive, this can lead to poor sleep quality." Stock image of a woman taking pills from her nightstand before bed. Stock image of a woman taking pills from her nightstand before bed. Liudmila Chernetska/iStock / Getty Images Plus Is CCFM1320 a Game-Changing Strain? To test the effectiveness of CCFM1320 in humans, scientists from Jiangnan University conducted a four-week study with 60 volunteers who experienced sleep difficulties. Participants were divided into two groups: one received the probiotic, while the other took a placebo. Results showed that those who consumed the probiotic had better sleep scores, lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and a healthier balance of gut bacteria. Additionally, the probiotic boosted the expression of genes involved in producing and utilizing SAM, a key factor in sleep and overall health. Strain-Specific Benefits Dr. Michel Bass, a board-certified gastroenterologist and the Founding Medical Director at Oshi Health in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, emphasized the importance of strain specificity: "Not all probiotics are created equal. This study identified CCFM1320 as uniquely beneficial for sleep quality. This isn't a generic 'take-any-probiotic' situation—it's about strain-level specificity," Bass told Newsweek. "That's where a lot of public messaging needs to evolve. Just like different medications target different conditions, different strains do different things. And this one appears to enhance melatonin synthesis via SAM methylation—a novel pathway." Probiotic Supplements vs. Fermented Foods Stock image of an assortment of fresh vegetables and meats. Stock image of an assortment of fresh vegetables and meats. esilzengin/iStock / Getty Images Plus While fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and kefir are beneficial for general gut health, Bass explained that they may not provide targeted probiotic strains at therapeutic levels. "If someone wants to improve things like sleep quality or reduce stress hormones like cortisol, a strong, well-researched supplement—especially one with proven strains like CCFM1320—is usually more effective," he said. "That said, eating fermented foods is still a great daily habit and can complement targeted probiotic supplements." Jason Eastty, owner of Healthspan Longevity in Westborough, Massachusetts, and a nutrition specialist, added that overall good nutrition can combat poor sleep. "Having a nutrient deficiency—like low iron, magnesium, or vitamin D—can throw off your gut microbial balance, leading to poor sleep. Clinical trials have shown that correcting these deficiencies helps microbial diversity and improves sleep efficiency," Eastty said. He also emphasized that a whole-foods diet rich in fiber—from fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains—is essential to feeding the "good" bacteria in your gut.