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The Fight to Stay Ahead in the Face of Growing Alzheimer’s Costs

With Alzheimer’s costs on the rise, what will we do ahead? Who will be able to afford care?

Without our current caregiving population, often composed of immigrants, what will happen if we limit immigration?  How can we feel better and prepare better for the trends ahead?

About 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease — 5.5 million of them aged 65 and older. By 2025, the number of seniors with Alzheimer’s could reach 7.1 million, up nearly 29 percent, according to CBS News.

And, if no new treatments are found, that number could hit 13.8 million by 2050, according to the new report on Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures, published online March 20 by the Alzheimer’s Association.

Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease. By 2050, that will occur every 33 seconds, the experts said.

While deaths from other major causes continue to decline, Alzheimer’s deaths have more than doubled, rising 123 percent between 2000 and 2015. By comparison, the number of deaths from heart disease — the leading cause of death in the United States — fell 11 percent.

“This year’s report illuminates the growing cost and impact of Alzheimer’s on the nation’s health care system, and also points to the growing financial, physical and emotional toll on families facing this disease,” said Keith Fargo. He directs scientific programs and outreach for the Alzheimer’s Association.

The estimated cost of caring for Americans with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is $277 billion this year — and that doesn’t include unpaid caregiving. Of that amount, $186 billion is the cost to Medicare and Medicaid, and $60 billion is for out-of-pocket costs, the report found.

Read the full story at CBS News.

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