Facts About Alzheimer's Disease

The Alzheimer's Association has published the following report: 

2017 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures

Click here to read online.

This is a comprehensive report that includes definitions of the types of dementia and a summary of current knowledge about Alzheimer's disease. It also addresses prevalence, mortality, caregiving and the use and costs of care and services Additionally, there is a focus on the challenges of people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias who live alone.

Here is a short recap of some of the statistics presented. To get a full picture, I recommend perusing the entire report.

PREVALENCE

~One in eight older Americans (over 65) has Alzheimer's Disease.

The number of Americans will grow each year as the proportion of the U.S. population over age 65 continues to increase. The number will escalate rapidly in coming years as the baby boom generation ages. The annual incidence of Alzheimer's and other dementias is projected to double by 2050.

~Nearly half of people age 85 and older have Alzheimer's disease. By the year 2050, the number of Americans age 85+ will be up to 21 million.

~An estimated 5.4 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer's disease in 2012. 

This number includes those who have developed early onset Alzheimer's (before the age of 65). 

~Every 68 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer's disease.

~By mid-century (2050), someone in the U.S. will develop Alzheimer's every 33 seconds.

~The first wave of baby boomers reached age 65 in 2011. 

By 2030, the 65+ population segment is expected to double and the estimated 71 million older Americans will make up approximately 20 percent of the total population. When this first wave of baby boomers turns 85 years old in 2031, an estimated 3.5 million people that are 85+ will have Alzheimer's disease.

~Although women are not more likely than men to develop dementia at a given age, due to the fact that women live longer on average than men, almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's are women. 

MORTALITY

 ~Alzheimer's is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U. S. and the fifth-leading cause of death for those age 65 and older.

~Studies indicate that people 65+ years old survive an average of four to eight years after a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, yet some live as long as 20 years. 

This shows the slow and insidious nature of the disease. On average a person with Alzheimer's will spend more years (40% of the total number of years with the disease) in the most severe stage than the other stages. This puts a huge burden on the nursing home/caregiving system.

CAREGIVING

~Over 15 million Americans provide unpaid care for a person with Alzheimer's or other dementias.

The caregivers are primarily family members but may also be other relatives or friends. In 2011, these people provided an estimated 17.4 billion hours of unpaid care, which equals over $210 billion.

~80% of care provided at home is delivered by family caregivers.

Fewer than 10% of older adults receive all of their care from paid workers.

~Caregiving for a person with Alzheimer's or other dementias takes a negative toll. 

Consequently, caregivers experience high levels of emotional stress and depression. Other facets of life are affected too, including: health, employment, income and family finances.