The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease in Oklahoma has increased 19 percent since 2000, according to a new study conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association. There are 74,000 people in Oklahoma with the disease. The 2010 study predicts by 2025, there will be 96,000 people living with the disease.

The main reason for the increase in the number of people with the disease is the baby boomers’ longevity, said Keili McEwen, Alzheimer’s Association regional director.

“There have been so many advances in the medical field that are allowing people to live longer,” McEwen said. “If people live longer, they are more prone to developing memory loss. The number of senior citizens is increasing more rapidly than ever, so it is only natural that the number of people with the disease should increase.”

Shaye Tipton, chief operating officer of Arbor House, an assisted living facility, said there has been a significant increase in the number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease living in the facility.

“We have definitely seen an increased enrollment in our memory care programs,” Tipton said. “There is no cure for the disease. The only thing we can do is hope that it has been detected soon enough to where the patient can sort out their care plan for the future.”

According to the study, 40 percent of the 37,668 nursing home residents in Oklahoma have a severe to moderate level of cognitive impairment.

McEwen said the Alzheimer’s Association spends $265 million each year on research to find a cure for the disease.

“As of now, there is nothing that can be done about the increasing rates of diagnosis,” McEwen said. “The only thing we can do is keep researching until a cure is found.”