While the overall number of people of many central New York cities is shrinking, there is at least one facet of the population that is growing.

Unfortunately, that facet is the number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Documented cases of the condition increased almost 29 percent over the first seven years of this decade in the central New York region, according to a study released last month by the Alzheimer's Association.

Between 2000 and 2007, Cayuga County saw the largest percentage increase in cases - about 35 percent. According to the study, there were 2,258 people in the county struggling with Alzheimer's disease in 2007.

The reasons for the increasing numbers are varied, according to local experts. But while there are local resources to help those struggling with the condition and their caregivers, they also say funding is hard to come by for those resources.

Corinne Ryan, coordinator for the Alzheimer's and dementia program at the Cayuga County Office for the Aging, said last week that overall population age is a major factor for the increased numbers.

Cayuga County and the greater central New York area has a growing senior population, Ryan said. And the majority of Alzheimer's cases in advanced stages tend to be with people in their 70s or 80s.

“The further along in age you get, the more likely you are to develop (Alzheimer's disease),” Ryan said.

Named after the German physician who first described it, Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that currently affects as many as 5.3 million people in the United States. The condition represents the most common form of dementia among the elderly, accounting for between 50 and 70 percent of dementia cases.

In cases of Alzheimer's disease, brain cells deteriorate and cause problems with memory and motor skills. The condition is eventually fatal, and it is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

Age is not the only likely factor in the condition's rise, according the Ryan. The medical community has also learned a lot over the past decade in relation to different types of dementia.

But that doesn't mean it's necessarily easier to treat the condition, she continued. One of the biggest challenges of Alzheimer's disease is fighting through the stigma associated with its symptoms.

Cayuga County has a number of local resources for Alzheimer's sufferers and their caregivers. The Office for the Aging offers educational tools and other services. Seneca Cayuga ARC sponsors daytime care services and support groups.

Many people don't want to face a condition that often means they will have to rely on other people for day-to-day activities, Ryan said. Others just think their symptoms are simply signs of old age.

“We have a population we're still trying to locate,” Ryan said. “There are people out there who aren't being served.”

Alzheimer's diseases cases in central New York

County 2000 2007 Percent Change

Cayuga 1,672 2,258 35.1

Onondaga 8,987 11,707 30.3

Madison 1,296 1,643 26.8

Cortland 938 1,144 22

Want to remember

a loved one?

The Alzheimer's Association Central New York Chapter will hold a special tribute program, “Keeping the Memories Alive.” which will provide family members a way to pay tribute to the moments shared between them and their loved one.

By using the chapter's

special tribute form, family members can make a gift in honor of someone with the disease or in memory of an individual who has passed away. Their loved one's name will be listed on the special tribute page of alzcny.org.

There is no minimum donation to be included in the tribute program. To participate, contact the Alzheimer's Association, Central New York Chapter, at 294-1691 ext. 107 or visit the tribute page at alzcny.org to download a donation form.

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net