Latinos are the fastest growing population in the United States, projected to grow by the U.S. Census Bureau to approximately 129 million in 2060.

The older Latino population is expected to triple by 2050, growing from 6 percent of older adults in 2003 to 18 percent within the next four decades. Health experts are projecting that Latinos are disproportionately represented in the older age groups most at risk of Alzheimer's disease.

A new coalition of Latino groups announced Tuesday they are rallying to raise awareness about rates of Latinos with Alzheimer's as an urgent health issue. The number of Latinos with Alzheimer's, they say, could grow by a staggering 600 percent by 2050, from the estimated 200,000 currently affected by Alzheimer's to about 1.3 million.

"It is time to bring Alzheimer's out of the shadows in the Latino community," said Latinos Against Alzheimer's Director Jason Resendez. "Too many families are struggling with this disease every day, and it is critical for our community to come together to address this growing crisis with policy solutions, research, and public education. We will ensure that Latino voices are heard in these important discussions and that it includes what is unique about the community and is culturally sensitive."

According to the Alzheimer's Association, dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. Memory loss is an example. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia.

While symptoms of dementia can vary greatly, people with dementia may have problems with short-term memory, keeping track of a purse or wallet, paying bills, planning and preparing meals, remembering appointments or traveling out of the neighborhood.

Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells. This damage interferes with the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other. When brain cells cannot communicate normally, thinking, behavior and feelings can be affected.

The organization says there is no one test to determine if someone has dementia. Doctors diagnose Alzheimer's and other types of dementia based on a careful medical history, a physical examination, laboratory tests, and the characteristic changes in thinking, day-to-day function and behavior associated with each type.

Treatment of dementia depends on its cause. In the case of most progressive dementias, including Alzheimer's disease, there is no cure and no treatment that slows or stops its progression. But there are drug treatments that may temporarily improve symptoms.

The organization recommends physical exercise which may help lower risks of some types of dementia by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain and what someone eats has an effect on brain health. A recommended diet would include very little red meat and more emphasis on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, shellfish, nuts, olive oil and other healthy fats.

Latinos Against Alzheimer's coalition members include The Latino Alzheimer's & Memory Disorders Alliance (LAMDA), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Hispanic Federation, and the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA).

"Alzheimer's represents a growing burden on Latino families and individuals," said NHCOA President and CEO Yanira Cruz. "I know that coordination and partnership are critical to stopping Alzheimer's and the launch of this coalition is an important first step."

According to Latinos Against Alzheimer's, research finds that Latinos are low users of formal health services and are less likely than non-Latinos to see a physician. There are also inadequate translation of diagnostic tools and cultural biases in cognitive tests which might affect identifying dementia in Latinos. And Latinos make up only 7.6 percent of clinical trial participants compared to 15 percent of African Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health.

"Funding for Alzheimer's is inadequate compared to its costs, and not nearly what it is for other chronic diseases and cancer, and there is very little research on why Alzheimer's has such an impact on the Latino community," said George Vrandeburg, founder of the group U.S. Against Alzheimer's.

The coalition will not only push for more funding and more research, but also for greater participation of Latinos in clinical trials about Alzheimer's.

Resendez said the coalition will be conducting a study on the impact of Alzheimer's care and its costs in the Latino community, with results expected next fall.