Alzheimer’s Facts and Figures

Alzheimer’s Facts and Figures
According to the statistics, family members, friends, or unpaid caregivers provide nearly 83% of the help to older people in the US. Around half of these caregivers assist people living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

Who are the caregivers?

  • Nearly one in three caregivers ( 30%) is age 65 or above.
  • Women account for two-thirds of caregivers. More specifically, over one-third are daughters who provide care to their parents with dementia.
  • The majority of caregivers (66%) live with dementia patients in the community.
  • About one-quarter of dementia caregivers are “sandwich generation” caregivers, meaning they care for an aging parent and children under age 18 at the same time.

Alzheimer’s has a ravaging effect on caregivers, taking its toll on their physical and emotional health. According to an estimate, about twice as many caregivers of dementia patients than the caregivers of people without dementia exhibit significant physical, emotional, and financial hardships.

The families bear 70% of the total lifetime cost of caring for a loved one with dementia either by out-of-pocket health expenses or from the value of unpaid care.

Alzheimer’s disease mortality is on the rise.

With a rapidly aging baby boomer population, Alzheimer’s will continue to impact more and more lives. From 2000 to 2006, Alzheimer’s disease deaths increased by 46.1 percent, while other selected causes of death decreased. Strategic investments in managing other diseases have resulted in declines in the death rate, and we need to see the same type of investment for Alzheimer’s.

African Americans and Hispanics are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

African Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s. African Americans are approximately twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s than Caucasians, and Hispanics are about 1.5 times more likely than Caucasians to develop the disease.

Although the genetic factor does not seem to be responsible for these differences, research suggests the role of prevalent health conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, in the African-American and Hispanic communities in increasing Alzheimer’s risk.

Another interesting Alzheimer’s fact is that although African-Americans and Hispanics have a higher rate of developing the disease than Caucasians, they are less likely than whtes to have been diagnosed.

Key Facts about Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the 5th leading cause of death in the U.S.
Estimates suggest that by 2050, the aggregate number of people living with Alzheimer’s will increase to 13 million.
One in three seniors dies of Alzheimer’s and other Dementia-related diseases.
More people die of Alzheimer’s disease than Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer combined.
Deaths from Alzheimer’s increased up to 17% in 2020 due to COVID-19.
According to an estimate, Alzheimer’s Disease will cost the nation nearly $321 billion in 2021, which is contemplated to reach up to $1 Trillion by 2050.
More than 11 million Americans provide care for people with Alzheimer’s Disease. These Caregivers provided an estimated 16 billion hours of care valued at approximately $272 billion. These are the unpaid family caregivers.
Between 2000 and 2020, deaths from heart disease decreased by 7.8%, while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased by 146%.

Stats & Costs

  1. Today 5.4 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s.
  2. There are 77.5 million Baby Boomers in the United States who are just now turning 65.
  3. Estimates suggest that 10 million Baby Boomers will get Alzheimer’s.
  4. One in 8 Baby Boomers is likely to get Alzheimer’s.
  5. By 2050 the expected number of Alzheimer’s patients in the United States would reach 16 million.
  6. Doctors diagnose about 1 million new cases each year.
  7. Every 69 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer’s.
  8. In 2050, an American will develop Alzheimer’s every 33 seconds.
  9. Alzheimer’s disease is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S.
  10. 80,000 Americans die from Alzheimer’s every year.
  11. Alzheimer’s kills more Americans than breast and prostate cancer combined.
  12. Among the top 10 causes of death in America, Alzheimer’s is the only disease without any known treatment or way to prevent it.
  13. Today, America spends $183 billion caring for people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
  14. Costs will reach over $1.1 trillion in 2050 (excluding inflation).
  15. With the aging of the Baby Boomers, treating Alzheimer’s patients could bring the US to its financial knees. It could very well bankrupt the US.
  16. Over the next 40 years, Alzheimer’s will cost over $40 trillion, enough to pay off the national debt and still send a $20,000 check to every man, woman, and child in America.
  17. Alzheimer’s disease costs businesses in America more than $60 billion a year due to absenteeism, lost productivity by primary caregivers, and associated insurance costs.
  18. The annual cost of caring for one individual with Alzheimer’s disease ranges from nearly $18,500 to more than $36,000, depending on the stage of the disease.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association

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