ABSTRACT
Although ethnic and racially diverse populations, especially those over age 65, are growing at a very rapid rate in the United States, the awareness and level of basic knowledge regarding dementing illnesses among those ethnic groups is limited. Considering the stress and hardship cognitive dysfunction can cause to a family unit in terms of longterm care services, the need to know with certainty the prevalence and incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementing illnesses among ethnic minority groups is of paramount importance. What is the incidence and prevalence of Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the Hispanic population residing in the United States? If this is not known, why? These and other pertinent questions are addressed in this chapter. At the same time, suggestions are offered based on experience and empirical research at the Spanish-Speaking Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program (SSADRP) as it relates to older Hispanics and Alzheimer’s disease.
