The number of men and women who develop Alzheimer’s Disease is expected to jump as baby boomers reach their golden years, medical experts said at an all-day seminar on the fatal disease in St. Helena.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the organizer of Thursday’s event, an estimated 5.3 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease, a form of dementia. By the middle of the century, as many as 18 million Americans will be affected. In Napa County, more than 3,000 residents live with Alzheimer’s Disease. That number is expected to jump to more than 5,100 by 2030, according to the association.

“We think that Alzheimer’s disease is going to grow and become a major epidemic in this country and throughout the world,” Dr. Adam Boxer, assistant professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco said Thursday at Grace Episcopal Church.

Boxer spoke on the latest research, including the development of new management and drug therapies that delay the onset of the disease and a provide better understanding of how toxic proteins cause brain damage, all of which may lead to a vaccine. He caused a stir in the audience when he said a little wine may be associated with helping people age successfully.

William Fisher, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Association for Northern California and Northern Nevada, said the association wants to educate, offer support to caregivers and raise public concern.

“We have made progress and have a long way to go,” Boxer said.

Among the 100 caregivers and health care professionals gathered were caregivers from Napa and American Canyon.

“It’s important to stay up date because things change quickly,” said Steven Stratford of American Canyon whose 78-year-old father suffers from dementia.

Sandy West, an LPGA golf pro in Napa, said her mother, with whom she is very close, has developed signs of the disease. One issue is when her mother should move to Napa County from Washington state.

“I really need to know about the disease, what services (are) available to help my mother and also get prepared,” West said.

Panels included social workers and caregivers, who urged anyone who cares for someone who suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease to seek counseling, respite care and other services available through Napa Valley Hospice and Adult Day Services and other organizations.

Caregivers stressed the importance of giving up unrealistic expectations by entering the world of the person afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease. They also shared their experiences coping with doctors who may not be up to speed on managing Alzheimer’s Disease as well as their own denial about the situation.

Barbara Pahre of Napa, a retired administrator with the Napa Valley Unified School District, whose mother, Ida Mae Lightner, an Alzheimer’s Disease victim, who died recently, was among the speakers who raised the importance of preserving their loved one’s dignity.

Peter Chiarella, a retired businessman in Napa, also spoke about his journey as he continues to care for his wife, Fran. Both are 75.

His wife no longer can perform every day tasks alone, including washing. While his wife can still eat on her own, she can no longer read a menu or make food selections. Traveling by plane to visit a son in Washington state is out of the question.

“She has difficulty these days putting sentences together,” he said.

One the upside, their grown children have progressed from denial about their mother’s disease to assisting with respite care. Other rewards, he said, have been to discover he’s enjoying cooking and devoting time to reminisce.

“And, of course, being needed more than ever,” he said.