Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities. They may exhibit anxiety, suspicion, agitation, and delusions.
Over 4.5 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and an additional 19 million have a family member with the disease. The cause is not known, and there is currently no cure.
Alzheimer’s is most common in older adults—about one in ten people over age 65 have the disease. These numbers rise dramatically with the passage of time: Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia affect up to 50 percent of people over the age of 85.
The impact on families can be devastating. Caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias shoulder a particularly heavy burden of care. The type of care they provide is physically and emotionally demanding and time-consuming, and takes a heavy toll on work and family life. Financially, the disease can be devastating as well, with the average lifetime cost of care for an individual with Alzheimer’s disease estimated in the 1990’s as $174,000. Many caregivers are financially impacted, as well: paid care costs an average of $19,000 per year, almost all of which families pay out of pocket. However, more than 7 out of 10 people with Alzheimer’s disease live at home, where family and friends provide almost 75 percent of their care, thereby affecting their own earning capacity.
Read more useful information about Alzheimer's disease and Key Messages and Statistics. |
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