Alzheimer's Disease

Moderator:
Massachusetts State Representative Danielle Gregoire
Featuring:
Catherine Freiman, Medical Director – Alzheimer’s, Biogen
Jennifer Rosen, Director of State Affairs, Alzheimer’s Association
Minnesota State Senator Carla J. Nelson
 
Disease Statistics - 2020 (check out Alzheimer's Association Facts and Figures)
Prevalence, incidence and mortality
  • More than 5 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2020. Eighty percent are age 75 or older.
  • Two-thirds of Americans over age 65 with Alzheimer’s dementia (3.6 million) are women
  • Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S., and the fifth-leading cause of death for those ages 65 and older
  • As the population of the U.S. ages, Alzheimer’s is becoming a more common cause of death.         
Cost of care
  • Total payments in 2020 for all individuals with Alzheimer’s or other dementias are estimated at $305 billion (not including unpaid caregiving)
  • Medicare and Medicaid are expected to cover $206 billion or 67% of the total health care and long-term care payments for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias
  • Out-of-pocket spending is expected to be $66 billion
  • Total payments for health care, long-term care and hospice care for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias are projected to increase to more than $1.1 trillion in 2050 (in 2020 dollars)
  • The total lifetime cost of care for someone with dementia was estimated at $357,297 (in 2019 dollars). 
Caregiving
  • In 2019, caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias provided an estimated 18.6 billion hours of unpaid care, a contribution to the nation valued at $244 billion
  • Nearly half of all caregivers (48%) who provide help to older adults do so for someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia
  • Approximately two-thirds of caregivers are women, and one-third of dementia caregivers are daughters
  • Forty-one percent of caregivers have a household income of $50,000 or less.
 
Get Involved - Alzheimer's Awareness

Sample Legislation

  • Georgia SB 14: Creates the Georgia Alzheimer's and Related Dementias State Plan Task Force

Additional Resources