This is a heartbreaking and debilitating disease that is increasing in numbers of victims, and also more younger adults are being diagnosed with it. We can't afford to ignore it. We must try to find an effective treatment or cure for it because it will be a much greater cost to society if we don't. Research is vital, and assistance to families and to facilities that provide care to individuals with Alzheimer's is vital. Many families try to take care of the person until they die. But many are also unable to be the caregiver, so we must fund various types of environments where care is given in order to meet these needs.

My cousin has had Alzheimer's since she was in her mid 40s. She is 62 now and in end stage, being taken care of at home by her husband. She needs complete care, and is confined to her bed. Her husband and his 85-year-old mother do most of the care themselves. He privately pays for a sitter if he has to leave the house on errands. He has done this for the last four years of her care and retired early to do it.

I have had three other family members die with Alzheimer's in their 70s and 80s. We can't sweep it under the carpet, we must effectively deal with it. I work as a social worker in a nonprofit continuing care community. We have residents with Alzheimer's in all four of our residential areas, so every day I see the effects of this disease and the amount of caregiving it takes for each person.

It would be devastating to the American people to have Alzheimer funds cut. Surely we can make wiser decisions than that. Why is it that our legislators always look to cut vital social programs first? They should not be devalued so easily.

Sooner or later those types of cuts end up costing society even more. It is "penny-wise and pound-foolish" as my mother used to say. I hope this does not happen. With a growing number of "boomers," our elected officials need to remember that those of us who have memory intact will be remembering their voting records at election time. Chickens do come home to roost.