1987. THERE IS A NEW REPORT OUT THIS WEEK FROM THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SHOWING NEARLY 7 MILLION AMERICANS ARE LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S. AND THAT REPORT ALSO LOOKS AT HOW THE DISEASE IMPACTS CAREGIVERS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS. OUR STAR CONNOR JOINS US NOW LIVE IN STUDIO STARR. YOU’RE SEEING THE HUMAN SIDE OF THESE NUMBERS. WHO DID YOU SPEAK WITH? WELL, WE SPOKE WITH ONE LOCAL WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN CARING FOR HER HUSBAND FOR EIGHT YEARS. SHE TOLD ME ABOUT THEIR JOURNEY AND HOPES OF BRINGING AWARENESS MORE AWARENESS THAT IS, TO THIS DISEASE. HE IS A CHEERFUL MAN USUALLY. I MEAN NOW EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT. WILMA GLICK TAKES CARE OF HER HUSBAND SHELDON, WHO HAS BEEN BATTLING ALZHEIMER’S FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS IN A FAMILY WHEN ALZHEIMER’S IS DIAGNOSED, PAUSED, GLICK SAYS. BEING A CARETAKER TO HER 89 YEAR OLD HUSBAND AT TIMES IS EXHAUSTING AND MENTALLY TAXING. WE GO SOMETIMES VERY QUICKLY FROM SOMEONE WHO’S CHARMING AND LOVING AND WELL MANNERED AND SWEET TO A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSONALITY. THAT IS THE HARDEST THING TO WATCH. IT REALLY IS A NEW REPORT FROM THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION REVEALS THAT MORE THAN 210,000 PEOPLE AGED 65 AND OLDER ARE LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S IN NORTH CAROLINA. OUR SURVEY SHOWED THAT 70% OF CAREGIVERS ARE SAYING THAT COORDINATING CARE IS ONE OF THEIR TOP STRESSORS, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWED BY THINGS LIKE HAVING ENOUGH TIME FOR THEMSELVES. UM, AND, UM, GOING TO DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENTS, ALL OF THOSE STRESSORS ARE REALLY IMPACTING, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AS CAREGIVERS. DOCTOR SAM FAZIO WITH THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SAYS THE DISEASE IS IMPACTING MORE FAMILIES. MORE PEOPLE ARE BEING DIAGNOSED FOR A FEW REASONS. ONE, WE HAVE A BETTER, BETTER, BETTER TESTS TO DIAGNOSE INDIVIDUALS. THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE REPORTING DIAGNOSES. AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE WHOLE, UM, HOPE OF NEW TREATMENTS AND THEIR IMPACT, MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING DIAGNOSED EARLIER IN THE PROCESS. HE ENCOURAGES CARETAKERS TO TAKE MORE TIMES FOR THEMSELVES AND LEAN ON OTHERS FOR SUPPORT. I THINK IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT FEEL ALONE. THAT IS THE HARDEST PART. I’M DOING VERY WELL TODAY BECAUSE I FEEL WELL SUPPORTED AND I KNOW HE’S GETTING GOOD CARE AND THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION REPORT ALSO FOUND THAT IT’S COSTING THE COUNTRY $360 BILLION TO CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH THE DISEASE. AND THAT’S $15 BILLION MORE THAN LAST YEAR IN THE STUDIO. STAR CON