Alzheimer’s Special Care Units As the elderly population in the United States of America continues to grow so rapidly, so will the incidence of the dreaded Alzheimer’s Disease. The 1992 United States census stated that at that time there were 33.9 million Americans over the age of 65, some 13% of the population. It is estimated that by the year 2030 this percentage will increase to about 20%, which will be 70 million people (Crispell 31). It is calculated today that about one half of those people over 84 and about two thirds of all persons living in nursing homes have Alzheimer’s disease or a related for