MUST WATCH: Why doctors aren't diagnosing Alzheimer's disease, and how that hurts patients



SEATTLE -- Alzheimer`s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops the disease and yet many people don`t know they have it, until it`s too late.

Early diagnosis is key. But according to a new study, that`s not happening.  Now, there`s a new push to change that.

For instance, take a look at Bob and Juanita in the video above. They’ve been married for 53 years. The last few years have been difficulty, though, as 70-year-old bob was diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer’s recently.

Things he used to take for granted, he said, now take all of his focus.

“I will read a chapter and I will have to set it down and go back over it again...do I remember what the plot was?” he asks. “Who the characters are?

The Alzehimer’s Association says early diagnosis is crucial. And anything you can do to slow the progress of dementia is meaningful.

The study asked doctors why they were reluctant to diagnose early on -- and there were a number of reasons.

First, there is not one test that confirms the disease, like a blood test.

Second, there's no cure, so doctors don't want to diagnose and then have no information about treatment.

For more on the Alzheimer’s Association, click here.