Published September 14, 2011, 12:00 AM


AP photo

Shirley Rexrode, left, assists her father, Hsien-Wen Li, who is an Alzheimer's patient, with his daily walk, in San Francisco, in this photo taken Sept, 1. Dementia is poised to become a defining disease of a rapidly aging population — and a budget-busting one for Medicare, Medicaid and families.

Read the article: Families urge action as U.S. drafts plan to handle Alzheimer’s cases