The population of our elderly folks is steadily growing. (God bless them!)
In addition to known common illnesses, initially mild forgetfulness keeps relentlessly marching into sinister irreversible memory loss, decline in once well coordinated higher intellectual and behavioural functions. Add to the present small families, expensive medical care, the caregiver burden (excuse me for this word) if he or she is unsupported and perhaps burnout too as unavoidable consequences. Some good news. A current article with a promising blood test rather than the expensive PET scan or the Spinal Lumbar Puncture raises hope of primary care diagnosis as a possibility for earlier diagnosis.
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/03/416761/simple-blood-test-may-be-able-diagnose-alzheimers-disease