The sixth leading cause of death in the United States is now Alzheimer’s disease. More than 5 million Americans are currently stricken with Alzheimer’s, and before the middle of this century that number could reach 15 million. Every 68 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer’s with a half million new cases of Alzheimer’s disease expected to be diagnosed this year. By mid-century, someone in America will develop the disease every 33 seconds, affecting 115 million people.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive, degenerative, and incurable brain disorder that robs people of their memories and ends lives in a slow and terrible death. Families must watch the people they love change dramatically in personality and behavior. These caregivers stand by as their loved ones become unaware of what—and who—are around them.

The latest PSA on Alzheimer’s from the Bright Focus Foundation depicts the immense burden borne by families, showing real people who have lived with the disease by caring for a loved one. The PSAs in English and Spanish offer families a way to learn more about Alzheimer’s—including caregiver coping methods—through a special web address at http://www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers/.