Page 100 - Libro Memoria Cien Inglés

4. The Vallecas Project

4.1. Introduction

Aging is one of the major risk factors
for some of the most prevalent di-
seases such as cancer, cardiovascular
disorders, or neurodegenerative di-
seases, but while the number of cases
of the first two tends to stabilize, the
number of patients with neurode-
generative pathologies, particularly
dementia, continues to grow exponen-
tially. According to the demographic
estimates of the National Institute of
Statistics, in 2019 there are 8.9 million
people in Spain aged 65 or over (19.4%
of the population) and it is estimated
that in 2050 about 15 million Spaniards
(approximately one third of our popu-
lation) will be over 65 years old. In fact,
the combination of one of the highest combination with cerebrovascular
life expectancies in the world and one disease. Because of increased life ex-
of the lowest birth rates make the Spa- pectancy and the progressive aging of
nish population the oldest in Europe the population in Western countries,
and one of the oldest in the world after dementia represents a huge challenge
South Korea and Japan. for public health systems. In our coun-
try, it is estimated that approximately
Dementia is a clinical syndrome cha- one million Spaniards could have de-
racterized by a progressive cognitive mentia by 2050.
impairment severe enough to affect
personal and social functioning of an According to the Survey of Disability,
individual. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is Personal Autonomy and Dependency
the leading cause of dementia in our Situations developed by the National
environment. According to the Natio- Institute of Statistics, the rate of disa-
nal Epidemiology Center, 7.3% of the bility stands at ninety dementia cases
population over 65 years could suffer per thousand inhabitants. However,
from this disease nowadays. In total, the impact of dementia is not only
AD constitutes about 75% of the etio- produced directly on the patient, but
logy of dementias, either alone or in also has a great influence his/her fami-