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This week our Special guest for the Community Affairs Show is Vice President of Programs and Services of the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter, Sheila Griffith. We also talk with Caregiver and Alzheimer’s Association advocate, awareness volunteer, and Wlak to End Alzheimer’s Prince Georges County team captain of Team Power of Love, Irma Nicoles.
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 they 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 includes a special report, Mapping a Better Future for Dementia Care Navigation. This include top services that would be helpful to dementia caregivers including around the clock support, care coordination and help understanding their care recipient’s condition.
Visit alz.org/facts to learn more about this year’s report. The Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline is 1-800-272-3900.
Community Affairs Show: Alzheimer’s Association 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report was originally published on praisedc.com
