A Butler County woman helped craft recommendations for dealing with the growing problem of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias presented to Gov. Tom Corbett last month.

Beth Herold, the administrator of the Area Agency on Aging, 111 Sunnyview Circle, was part of the 26-member Pennsylvania Alzheimer's Disease Planning Commission, which met from June through February to make suggestions on how the state should address Alzheimer's disease issues.

“The governor picked 13 individuals, and I was picked to represent Area Agency on Agings across the state,” said Herold.

“Tom Corbett asked us to come up with a plan for Pennsylvania for how the state can meet the needs in all aspects because it is becoming such an epidemic,” said Herold.

Pennsylvania has the fourth-highest percentage of elderly population in the nation, with the incidence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias rising in line with the aging population.

More than 400,000 Pennsylvanians are likely Alzheimer's or other dementia sufferers.

Herold said it is hard to say if there is a big increase in Alzheimer's patients.

“We can't say Alzheimer's is increasing with an aging population. There is more early diagnosis,” she said.

“There are no identifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's. As of now, there is nothing proven,” said Herold.

Starting work in June 2013, Herold said the committee was split into three working groups. Herold was in group 2, which dealt with health care delivery and the work force.

Herold said the committee heard from “many guest speakers, expert witnesses, relatives and Alzheimer's sufferers.”

“We met every two months. We did phone meetings every week or every other week,” said Herold.

Her group would meet in Harrisburg for 1½ days.

“Our task was to assess home and community based services and educating the community and work force and promoting early detection of Alzheimer's,” she said.

“There is no cure, but some medications can slow the disease and just reduce the stigma of Alzheimer's, ” said Herold. “Victims don't want to be viewed differently, but they are worried about losing their freedoms, to drive, living alone and coming under more supervision.”

The committee came up with seven major recommendations that it presented to the governor Feb. 7:

Improve awareness and sense of urgency about the medical, social and financial implications of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD);

Identify and expand financial resources to implement this plan;

Promote brain health and cognitive fitness from birth onward;

Provide a comprehensive continuum of ethical care and support with services ranging from early detection through end-of-life care;

Enhance support for family and non-professional caregivers and those living with ADRD;

Build and retain a competent, ethical and caring workforce;

Promote and support research to find cures, treatments and prevention strategies for ADRD.

“We were dismantled and got thank-yous from the governor,” said Herold.

Herold said one of the recommendations of the panel was for the state to hold an Alzheimer's disease summit annually.

“Every need comes with a need for money, and there's not a lot of surplus of money,” said Herold.

The disease exacts a high financial and emotional cost, said Herold.

“We always hear it can be a real role reversal. Alzheimer's patients go through the stages of grief that they are losing their independence,” she said

“The emotional toll and the cost is so difficult to watch someone go through the stages of Alzheimer's.”

“You just need to walk through the Sunnyview dementia unit and see the pain on the relatives' faces. It has to be hard to see a relative go through all those stages,” said Herold.

“From my window I can see dedicated family members come every day to visit them. You just have to admire that dedication,” said Herold.

“For caretakers, it can bring burnout. It is an exhausting, 24/7 disease,” said Herold. “Sometimes Alzheimer's can change the disposition of a patient to make it hard to care for those individuals.”

“The recommendations within the plan have the potential to define a course of action that increases awareness; improves care delivery; builds a work force; and maximizes development opportunities in pursuit of a cure,” said Brian Duke, secretary of the Pa. Department of Aging. “We look forward to reviewing it in more detail.”

“It is sitting with the governor right now,” said Christina Reese, the department's press secretary. “We are waiting to hear his feedback on the report.”

“My hope would be we could educate the community on what the early signs of Alzheimer's are, diagnose them and get them into early treatment and provide education and support to those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and to those caring for them at home and also in the facilities,” said Herold.

Scientists have identified factors that increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease:<b>Age</b>The greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer's is advancing age. Most individuals with the disease are age 65 or older. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer's doubles about every five years after age 65. After age 85, the risk reaches nearly 50 percent. One of the greatest mysteries of Alzheimer's disease is why risk rises so dramatically as we grow older<b>Genetics</b>Another strong risk factor is family history. Those who have a parent, brother, sister or child with Alzheimer's are more likely to develop the disease. The risk increases if more than one family member has the illness.Most experts believe the majority of Alzheimer's disease occurs as a result of complex interactions among genes and other risk factors. Now research is beginning to reveal clues about other risk factors we may be able to influence through general lifestyle and wellness choices and effective management of other health conditions.<b>Head trauma </b>There may be a strong link between serious head injury and future risk of Alzheimer's, especially when trauma occurs repeatedly or involves loss of consciousness. Protect your brain by buckling your seat belt, wearing your helmet when participating in sports and “fall-proofing” your home.<b>Heart-head connection</b>Growing evidence links brain health to heart health. Your brain is nourished by one of your body's richest networks of blood vessels. Every heartbeat pumps about 20 to 25 percent of your blood to your head, where brain cells use at least 20 percent of the food and oxygen your blood carries.The risk of developing Alzheimer's or vascular dementia appears to be increased by many conditions that damage the heart or blood vessels. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high cholesterol.<b>General healthy aging</b>Other lines of evidence suggest that strategies for overall healthy aging may help keep your brain as well as your body fit. These strategies may even offer some protection against developing Alzheimer's or related disorders. Try to keep your weight within recommended guidelines, avoid tobacco and excess alcohol, stay socially connected and exercise both your body and mind.

There are 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the signs, see a doctor. Early diagnosis gives you a chance to seek treatment and plan for the future.• Memory loss that disrupts daily life. This includes forgetting recently learned information, important dates or using reminder notes or electronic devices as memory aides.• Challenges in planning or solving problems. Instances include having trouble following a favorite recipe or keeping track of monthly bills.• Difficulty in completing familiar tasks.• Confusion with time or place. People with Alzheimer’s disease can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time.• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance or determining color.• Problems with words in speaking or writing.• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.• Decreased or poor judgment. People with Alzheimer’s may use poor judgment in dealing with money, personal grooming or keeping themselves clean.• Withdrawal from work or social activities. People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a hobby. They may avoid being social because of the changes they’ve experienced.• Changes in mood or personality. People with Alzheimer’s disease can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset when they are out of their comfort zone.<i>Alzheimer’s Association</i>