A new report finds 63-thousand Iowans have Alzheimer’s disease, a number that may triple by the year 2050 if a treatment isn’t found. In the next decade, Alzheimer’s cases are expected to grow by 16-percent in Iowa, as Baby Boomers age. Carol Sipfle, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Iowa Chapter, says the cost to Iowa families is also rising dramatically.

“Families are going to spend about $5,000 a year caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease,” Sipfle says. “That’s out-of-pocket cost. That’s not any kind of care in a facility or extra services they get from the community. That is just the straight out-of-pocket cost.”

The report finds dementia can strike the personal finances of families and friends who are caregivers. Nearly half say they have to cut back on their own expenses to afford dementia-related care, while others must draw from their own savings or retirement funds. While five-thousand dollars may be the average cost of care, families report losing 15-thousand dollars on average from reduced work hours or having to stop working entirely to provide care.

The costs add up: “It may be to hire someone to be in the home but it also may be things like making modifications to their home, ramps or security systems to prevent wandering,” Sipfle says. “It could mean a number of different things that are not covered by any type of insurance plan or Medicaid or Medicare.” Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the U-S and it’s the only disease in the top 10 causes of death without a way to prevent, cure or even slow its progression.

Iowa has the 5th-highest Alzheimer’s death rate in the United States. “There’s still a stigma associated with the disease,” Sipfle says. “People are reluctant to go to their doctor to get a diagnosis. We still even hear stories of physicians who don’t want to make a diagnosis because there’s no known way to prevent or treat the disease.” Crossword puzzles and math games like Sudoku may help to reduce the risk by exercising the brain, but she says there is no guaranteed way to prevent it. Roughly one in every nine Iowans over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s.

(Radio Iowa)

An Onawa man is facing charges for taking off when a Woodbury County Deputy tried to stop near Sloan Tuesday morning. The vehicle took off on a country road, reaching speeds up to 117 miles-an-hour. When the pursuit reached Salix, the driver, 36-year-old Justin Derby, lost control as he tried to avoid and oncoming semi.

Derby fled the car and was chased to a sewage lagoon where he at first refused to come out. He’s charged with driving with a barred license, speeding, leaving the scene of a property damage accident and reckless driving.

Derby and two passengers were taken by ambulance to the hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries. Two other passengers in the car refused treatment. The Sheriff’s Department says more charges are possible.

(Radio Iowa)

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports a Guthrie County man was arrested on an outstanding warrant. 32-year old Patrick Lawrence Nolte, of Menlo, faces a Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Deliver, charge. The charge is the result of an investigation into an incident which occurred in the 2300 block of 210th Street in Audubon County, on June 25th, 2015. Stuart Police assisted with his arrest.

Nolte was transported to the Audubon County Jail and later released after appearing before a magistrate.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), adopted an amended Fiscal Year 2016 County Budget and FY 2016 Iowa DOT/Secondary Roads Budget. The amendment includes a revenue increase of $1.828-million dollars and expenditure increase of just over $1.016-million.

Cass County Engineer Charles Marker explained part of the revenue increases came from Road Use Tax Fund (Gas Tax) monies from the State. The funds came in during after the FY 2016 budget was prepared, and amounts to $500,000. Of that, Marker said $200,000 was used for the purchase of additional road rock, the rest was allocated for three, sub-standard bridges. Work on those bridges will be conducted this summer.

Marker said the extra dollars from the Road Use Tax Fund are “greatly appreciated.” Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman explained other changes include increases of $25,000 Public Safety and Legal Services. Capital Projects and Debt Service also figured into the amendment.

In other business, the Cass County Board of Supervisors approved a contract with Rasmussen Mechanical Services for the courthouse boiler and burner project.

Cass County Engineer Charles Marker reports a bridge located a couple of miles south of Interstate 80 in Pymosa Township was closed immediately today (Wednesday) following an inspection. The high truss bridge is located on Chicago Road near Buck Creek Road, not far from the Buck Creek Church. Marker said their inspection revealed a wooden “pile cap” on the northeast corner of the bridge has shattered, making it unsafe.

Their concern is that the northwest corner of the bridge, which will carry more of the weight, might soon be in a similar situation. Marker says the bridge was closed so crews can replace the pile caps.

Marker said also, the Atlantic quarry where road rock is obtained by the Secondary Roads Department, is now closed, so crews are getting rock from the Lewis Quarry and the Stennett Quarry south of Griswold.

The damaged pile cap on a high truss bridge on Chicago Rd. (Cass County Engineer’s photo)

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Police in Creston are investigating the theft of a rabbit. Authorities say a woman who resides in the 300 block of N. Oak Street, in Creston, reported that when she came home from work, Tuesday, one of her rabbits was missing. The loss was estimated at $35.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Iowans are living much less physical lives now than they did a few decades ago and people are being encouraged to get outdoors for a brisk walk today (Wednesday) as part of National Walking Day. Kassi Wessing, spokeswoman for the American Heart Association of Iowa, says to start with just a half hour of hoofing it. “It’s a day for people to take charge of their heart health,” Wessing says. “It’s starting to get nice out, we’re enjoying warmer temperatures and people are ready to get outside and enjoy the spring weather. We would like everybody to get out and get at least a 30-minute walk today. So, lace up your sneakers and get moving.”

It’s recommended adults take part in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both, each week. “Walking is one of the easiest exercises you can take on,” Wessing says. “It’s low risk. All you need is a good pair of sneakers and a path to walk on, so it’s inexpensive. Pretty much anybody can do it and a lot of times, that can kind of be our gateway drug to more physical activity.”

She says everyone who walks can “donate” their minutes walked to the American Heart Association  by posting their minutes on social media. “We’d like anybody that walks to share that they’re participating in National Walking Day,” Wessing says. “Share how many minutes you walked. Use #AHALaceUp. We’re going to track all of that and work toward the goal of 100,000 minutes walked nationally today.”

Studies suggest moderate physical activity has many proven benefits for overall health, like lowering blood pressure, increasing H-D-L or “good” cholesterol and controlling weight. All these changes help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, Iowa’s number-1 and number-5 killers.

(Radio Iowa)

A new report shows it’s getting more expensive to live in Iowa and many families are struggling to earn enough money to cover their basic needs. The Iowa Policy Project’s 2016 “Cost of Living in Iowa” report outlines how much working families need to earn in order to pay for such things as food, housing, utilities, child care, and transportation. IPP research director Peter Brown says a couple areas of basic expenses have increased substantially in recent years. Rent, on average statewide, has risen seven-to-eight percent, while health insurance premiums have skyrocketed.

“Insurance, on the individual market at least, has gone up 17-to-23 percent,” Brown said. “These are actually premiums people are paying right now, in 2016, for health insurance.” Iowa’s current minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. The report states the average Iowa family of four would require each parent to earn at least $16.89 an hour to make ends meet.

“The median wage (in Iowa) is a little less than $16 (an hour). That means half of the jobs in this state pay less than that, yet…these families will need to earn $16 to $25 an hour — full-time, year-round — in order to get by,” Brown said.

The report identifies some of the lowest overall costs of living are found in the eastern Iowa metros of Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Davenport, Dubuque, and Cedar Rapids. The highest cost region of the state is in the southeast corner, including the cities of Fort Madison, Burlington, and Mount Pleasant.

(Radio Iowa)