Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Could Save the Nation Trillions of Dollars
The Alzheimer’s Association recently
released their “2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures” report. In it, it shows that for the second
consecutive year the total payments to care for people with Alzheimer’s
and other forms of dementia are estimated to exceed a quarter of
a trillion dollars. “The projected $277
billion total is an increase of almost $20 billion from last year. By 2050,
costs are expected to surpass $1 trillion.”
The report also shows that the number
of Americans who are afflicted with Alzheimer is growing every year. It is estimated that 5.7 million people in
our country have Alzheimer’s and every 65 seconds someone develops the
disease. Based on those figures, the Alzheimer’s
Association now predicts that 14 million people will have the disease by
2050. These numbers are making the
disease one of the most expensive in the country.
However one important point highlighted
in the report is the assumption that if more people are diagnosed in the early
stages of the disease, it could save the country “as much as $7.9 trillion over
the lifetimes of those living with it.” Although
there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, drug and non-drug
treatments can help with both cognitive and behavioral symptoms. The 2018 report says that an early diagnosis
can also be beneficial to the person’s caregivers and family.
Keith Fargo, director of scientific
programs and outreach for the Alzheimer's Association, states that "We
must continue to attack Alzheimer's through a multidimensional approach that
advances research while also improving support for people with the disease and
their caregivers." From 2000 to
2015, deaths from the disease increased 123 percent and Alzheimer’s is now the
sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S.
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Source:
usnews.com/news/health-care-news/articles/2018-03-20/report-alzheimers-disease-will-cost-us-277b-in-2018
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