Statistics
Statistics vary regarding almost everything about Alzheimer's, but the following, culled from different sources, are within the generally accepted norms:
One out of three Americans knows of someone with Alzheimer's, but the vast majority knows little about the disease and shows scant interest in learning.
Alzheimer's can begin to attack the brain decades before the first symptoms appear.
Medicare and almost all medical and hospitalization insurance do not cover the cost of long-term care for most Alzheimer's patients.
In June 2001, the Alzheimer's Association reported that over 62% of respondents to the question, "Do you think your physician is knowledgeable about Alzheimer's disease?" replied 'no'.
In 1999, there were 44,536 deaths from Alzheimer's, surpassing the combined total of auto accidents and breast cancer in the United States.
As of February 2003, in America, Alzheimer's is the fourth leading cause of death, following heart disease, cancer and stroke.
One in 50 Americans has Alzheimer's. Every day, an average of 986 patients is diagnosed with the disease.
Three-quarters of home-bound caregivers do not get consistent help from family members, especially spousal caregivers.
From 5% to 25% of victims have Alzheimer's in the family. To date, there is no known cause for the vast majority of those stricken.
Depending on where you live, the average annual cost of caring for an Alzheimer's patient is nearly $60,000.
The average length of stay in a care facility is 2 to 3 years, but it can often last 6 or 7.
Today, the annual cost of Alzheimer's care in America is about $100 billion and by mid-century, as the boomers age, the costs are expected to overwhelm the health care system, bankrupting Medicare and Medicaid.
Forty-three percent of caregivers for Alzheimer's patients fall into a clinical depression that can linger for years, even after the loved one dies.
Fifteen percent will die before their contemporaries, and many will die before the patient they're caring for.
Elderly caregivers with a chronic illness themselves have a 63% higher mortality rate than their non-caregiving peers.
The caregiving spouses of Alzheimer's patients suffer from depression at three times the rate of others in their age group.
There are lower rates of depression among those caring for a relative with cancer and other terminal diseases than those caring for someone with Alzheimer's.
Even if cared for in the home, it can easily cost over $100 a day just for an in-home aide, and medications, supplies, rentals, doctor visits, visiting nurses, and more, add up to an another average of several hundred dollars a month.
Alzheimer's is the third most expensive disease in the United States after heart disease and cancer.
Well over 4 million Americans have Alzheimer's.
76 million boomers are reaching the age where Alzheimer's is most prevalent. By the time they reach their mid-80's, 50% are expected to have Alzheimer's.
By 2050, Americans with Alzheimer's are expected to reach 13.2 million.
Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer's and only a few drugs that can slightly slow down its progress and maybe reverse some symptoms for a while in some patients.
The aging population is more vulnerable to Alzheimer's because drugs have been developed to prolong the life of those with cancer and heart disease, only to leave them more susceptible to Alzheimer's as they continue to age.
While it is true that some younger people get Alzheimer's, it is generally considered a disease associated with aging. This trend is likely to continue as more diseases are overcome and more and more people live longer.
Alzheimer's is all but a step-child in medical care and research. Far less money is spent on trying to find a cure for it than on other more 'popular' diseases. This mind-set has to change, otherwise, with more and more diseases being cured, with more and more people living longer, and with 50% of them destined to suffer and die from Alzheimer's, then what's the point?* Home * What you Need to Know * Words to Live By * Author's Notes*
* Endorsements * Foreword * Table of Contents * Sample Book Pages *
* Statistics * Stages of Alzheimer's * Save the Caregiver *
* Memory Loss in Alzheimer's, Dementia, & Normal Aging *
* Driving * Delusions & Hallucinations *
* I Have Alzheimer's * Remarks & Reviews *
* You're in Good Company * Where to Buy the Books *
* And God Laughs *
