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The Price of Alzheimer’s

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  • The Price of Alzheimer’s
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October 26, 2016

By Vincent Lim

Cover of Latino and Alzheimer's report showing Latino woman being kissed on cheek by caregiver
Cover of the report: “Alzheimer’s and Latinos: New Numbers Behind the Crisis”

With Americans living longer than ever, an increasing number of older adults will face the challenges of living with Alzheimer’s, most significantly the aging Latino population, which is anticipated to grow 224 percent by 2030.

A new joint report released by the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s, a network of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, projects that the number of Latinos with Alzheimer’s will increase more than ninefold from 379,000 in 2012 to over 3.5 million by 2060.

The report is also the first to outline the economic impact of Alzheimer’s on the Latino community. Supported in part by Eli Lilly, it states that cumulative costs for Latinos with Alzheimer’s will total a staggering $2.35 trillion through 2060. This includes the cost of unpaid in-home care and earnings lost by individuals with Alzheimer’s.

“Alzheimer’s is a tremendous cost to Latino families today, and the impact will be even more dramatic in the future,” said Bill Vega, executive director of the USC Roybal Institute and the Cleofas and Victor Ramirez Professor of Practice, Policy, Research and Advocacy for the Latino Population.

One recommendation in the report is the further development and greater access to Alzheimer’s caregiving resources and training for Latino family caregivers.

The majority of in-home care for Alzheimer’s is provided by family members, and research shows that Latinos are more likely to choose the most affordable family caregiving options.

Findings from several studies suggest that many family caregivers often suffer from mental health problems themselves, due to the stresses of caregiving.

Bill knows first-hand about the challenges faced by dementia caregivers from his late mother-in-law, who cared for her husband suffering from dementia. She was once hospitalized for exhaustion, and during her stay she told Bill that she actually enjoyed being in the hospital because it provided a reprieve from caregiving.

“We must prepare families for the major challenge of caring from someone with serious cognitive issues that will impact day-to-day life,” he said.

As a member of the Medical & Scientific Advisory Council for Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles and an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, Bill views this data as the quantification of a rising public health crisis.

“Now that we know the gravity of the Alzheimer’s challenge for the Latino population, we owe it to ourselves, our families, and our communities to find effective solutions and prepare for the future,” he said.

This story was originally published in Partners, a publication of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.

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