Alzheimer's disease, long term
A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is devastating not just for an individual; it can also be a diagnosis of financial and emotional ruin for the entire family.
Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging. It is a disorder of the brain's nerve cells that impairs memory, thinking, and behavior and leads ultimately to death. The impact of Alzheimer's disease on our health care system makes it one of our nation's greatest medical, social and economic challenges.
Alzheimer's disease is progressive and degenerative and there is no cure! Sometimes it progresses slowly and gradually. Sometimes it moves very quickly. Life expectancy after diagnosis can be anywhere from eight to 20 years and it is estimated that 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. The number has more than doubled since 1980 and the number will continue to grow. By 2050 the number of individuals with Alzheimer's disease could range from 11.3 million to 16 million.
One in 10 individuals over age 65 and almost 50% of those over age 85 are affected. A rare, inherited form of Alzheimer's can strike individuals as early as their 30s and 40s. Research has shown that those who have a parent, brother or sister, or child with Alzheimer's disease are more likely to develop the disease. The risk increases if more than one family member has the illness. Heredity, environmental factors or both can play a role when Alzheimer's disease tends to run in the family.
Annual costs of caring for those with Alzheimer's disease are approximately $100 billion and the cost to American business alone is $61 billion. Of this figure $24.6 billion pays for care of the Alzheimer's disease patient, with $36.5 billion covering costs related to the caregivers. This cost includes lost productivity, absenteeism and employee replacement.
More than seven out of 10 people with Alzheimer's disease live at home, where almost 75% of their care is provided by family and friends. A devoted caregiver will take care of their loved one as much and as long as they can, regrettably, at tremendous cost to their own health. The symptoms of stress will become evident: denial, anger, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, sleeplessness, irritability and lack of concentration. As a direct result, the caregiver becomes susceptible to heart attack, stroke, and serious emotional disorders.
As a society we are not prepared to care for our aging population and as responsible citizens we must begin planning, each within our own family, for the eventual need for long-term health care.
Dorothy McMahon is a Long-Term Care Insurance Consultant. Reach her at (248) 844-9787 or LTCINSUSA@aol.com.
NEW! Buy your Blue Cross and Blue Shield Health Insurance and individual Health Savings Accounts online! These are becoming very popular, especially now that employee benefits are beginning to disappear. Click here and buy online now: McMahon and Associates Coverage for One.
Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging. It is a disorder of the brain's nerve cells that impairs memory, thinking, and behavior and leads ultimately to death. The impact of Alzheimer's disease on our health care system makes it one of our nation's greatest medical, social and economic challenges.
Alzheimer's disease is progressive and degenerative and there is no cure! Sometimes it progresses slowly and gradually. Sometimes it moves very quickly. Life expectancy after diagnosis can be anywhere from eight to 20 years and it is estimated that 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. The number has more than doubled since 1980 and the number will continue to grow. By 2050 the number of individuals with Alzheimer's disease could range from 11.3 million to 16 million.
One in 10 individuals over age 65 and almost 50% of those over age 85 are affected. A rare, inherited form of Alzheimer's can strike individuals as early as their 30s and 40s. Research has shown that those who have a parent, brother or sister, or child with Alzheimer's disease are more likely to develop the disease. The risk increases if more than one family member has the illness. Heredity, environmental factors or both can play a role when Alzheimer's disease tends to run in the family.
Annual costs of caring for those with Alzheimer's disease are approximately $100 billion and the cost to American business alone is $61 billion. Of this figure $24.6 billion pays for care of the Alzheimer's disease patient, with $36.5 billion covering costs related to the caregivers. This cost includes lost productivity, absenteeism and employee replacement.
More than seven out of 10 people with Alzheimer's disease live at home, where almost 75% of their care is provided by family and friends. A devoted caregiver will take care of their loved one as much and as long as they can, regrettably, at tremendous cost to their own health. The symptoms of stress will become evident: denial, anger, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, sleeplessness, irritability and lack of concentration. As a direct result, the caregiver becomes susceptible to heart attack, stroke, and serious emotional disorders.
As a society we are not prepared to care for our aging population and as responsible citizens we must begin planning, each within our own family, for the eventual need for long-term health care.
Dorothy McMahon is a Long-Term Care Insurance Consultant. Reach her at (248) 844-9787 or LTCINSUSA@aol.com.
NEW! Buy your Blue Cross and Blue Shield Health Insurance and individual Health Savings Accounts online! These are becoming very popular, especially now that employee benefits are beginning to disappear. Click here and buy online now: McMahon and Associates Coverage for One.
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