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Praise 104.1 FM’s Community Affairs Show was recently joined by the Alzheimer’s Association’s D.C. Chapter VP of Programs and Services, Sheila Griffith, to talk about the latest findings around Alzheimer’s.
Statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report tell us that the burden of Alzheimer’s disease on the nation’s families and our economy continues to worsen. Here’s what she revealed:
- An estimated 6.5 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia.
- By 2050, the number of people age 65+ with Alzheimer’s dementia is expected to grow to nearly 13 million.
- Alzheimer’s disease was the fifth leading cause of death among individuals age 65 and older in 2021.
- Dementia is one of the costliest conditions to society.
- In 2024, the total cost for caring for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the United States is projected to reach $360 billion increase from a year ago.
- The cost to Medicare and Medicaid of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias will reach $31 billion this year.
New findings from the report point to the growing financial, physical and emotional toll on Alzheimer’s caregivers:
- More than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
- In 2023, these caregivers provided over 18.4 billion hours of unpaid care valued at nearly $347 billion.
- Nearly half of all caregivers who provide help to older adults do so for someone living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
- Two-thirds of dementia caregivers are “sandwich generation” caregivers, caring not only for an aging parent, but also for children under age 18.
- Family caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other dementias indicated substantial emotional and physical stress.
- The financial burden on these family caregivers is significant: 60% of these caregivers were employed in the past year. Total lifetime cost of care: almost $400,000.
The Facts and Figures report also included a special report, Mapping a Better Future for Dementia Care Navigation that highlights services helpful to dementia caregivers including around the clock support and care coordination.
To learn more about this year’s report, visit alz.org/facts. If someone you know is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Association Helpline is available 24/7 to help guide care at 1-800-272-3900.
What You Need to Know About Alzheimer’s in 2024 was originally published on praisedc.com
