Alzheimer’s disease can be devastating, but families don’t have to go it alone.
More than 10,000 people turn 65 every day, and by 2030, people over 65 will make up 18% of the population (as opposed to only 13% today).
As our population rapidly ages, the incidence of age-related diseases will inevitably rise. Alzheimer’s disease, or AD, is the sixth most common cause of death among the elderly, and presents uniquely complex challenges for patients and their loved ones. Since the disease is degenerative and ultimately fatal, families not only have to cope with the emotional toll of their loved one’s decline, but also with high medical costs for day care or memory care facilities. Adult day care runs around $1,500 a month, while live-in facilities can cost as much as $6,000.
In the face of these prohibitive costs, many families opt to care for their older relatives themselves. According to William Vega, Provost Professor and Executive Director at the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, this can present unique benefits for the AD patient — but can also place a heavy burden on family caregivers.