"Training" a Workforce to Care for People in West Virginia with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (Scientific Article: Special Issue‪)‬

Introduction The healthcare workforce in West Virginia is currently not sufficient to meet the needs of the growing population of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). The percentage of adults in West Virginia over age 65 is expected to climb to 24.8 percent by the year 2030 (1), and the number of West Virginians with ADRD is projected to top 50,000 people by the year 2025. (2) The growing prevalence of ADRD in West Virginia is not surprising, given that advancing age is the greatest risk factor, and the burden of ADRD is further raised by the chronic poor health of our population that experiences high rates of smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes mellitus, which are all thought to increase the risk for developing a dementing illness. (3)