Report underscores high - and growing - costs of Alzheimer's

A new report from the Alzheimer's Association notes that, for the second consecutive year, total payments to care for individuals living with Alzheimer's or other dementia will surpass $277 billion, a figure that's up nearly $20 billion from last year.

New findings from the report, "2018 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures," show the growing burden of Alzheimer's on people living with the disease, their families and caregivers, as well as on society at large. The number of older Americans is growing rapidly, and so too is the number of people living with Alzheimer's and the subsequent impact to the nation's economy.

By 2050, the total cost of care for Alzheimer's is projected to increase to more than $1.1 trillion.

"We are beginning to see a wave of the impact of Alzheimer's as the number of older Americans and Iowans continues to grow. Because of this, we continue to see the growing financial, physical and emotional toll Alzheimer's has and will continue to have on our nation, our state and our families," Doug Bickford, Alzheimer's Association Greater Iowa Chapter executive director, said in a release.

Given the long duration of the disease, the strain on Alzheimer's caregivers can last several years and produce serious declines in caregiver physical, emotional and financial well-being.

In 2017, 16 million Americans provided an estimated 18.4 billion hours of unpaid care in the form of physical, emotional and financial support - a contribution valued at $232.1 billion. The difficulties associated with providing this level of care are estimated to have resulted in $11.4 billion in additional health care costs for Alzheimer's and other dementia caregivers in 2017.

Mortality from Alzheimer's disease continues to rise. While deaths from other major causes continue to decrease, data from the report show that deaths from Alzheimer's disease have more than doubled, increasing 123 percent between 2000 and 2015. By comparison, the number of deaths from heart disease, the number one killer in America, decreased 11 percent.

"Alzheimer's continues to be the sixth-leading cause of death in Iowa and remains the only disease in the top 10 causes of death that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. Because of the growing prevalence, rising mortality rate and lack of an effective treatment, we are going to see an ever-increasing burden on society because of the disease," Bickford said.

The report provided an in-depth look at the latest state and national statistics on Alzheimer's prevalence, incidence, mortality and the costs of care and caregiving:

? An estimated 5.7 million American of all ages - 64,000 Iowa residents - are living with Alzheimer's dementia this year.

? By 2025, the number of people ages 65 and older with Alzheimer's dementia is estimated to reach 7.1 million, an increase of nearly 29 percent from current figures. In Iowa, the number is expected to increase to 73,000.

? Barring the development of medical breakthroughs, the number of people ages 65 and older with Alzheimer's dementia may reach 13.8 million by 2050, nearly triple today's numbers.

? Two-thirds of Americans over 65 with Alzheimer's dementia, some 3.4 million, are women.

? Alzheimer's is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. and the fifth-leading cause of death for those 65 and older. In Iowa. 1,339 died with Alzheimer's in 2015, the most recent figures available.

? The total national cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's and other dementias is estimated at $277 billion this year, not including unpaid caregiving, with $186 billion being the cost to Medicare and Medicaid. Out of pocket costs represent $60 billion of the total, while other costs total $30 billion.

? The report estimated total Medicaid costs for those 65 and older with dementia in Iowa at $630 million for 2018. By 2025, that figure is expected to increase 23.7 percent, to $779 million.

? In 2017, the lifetime cost of care for a person living with dementia was $341,840, with 70 percent of that cost borne by families directly through out-of-pocket costs and the value of unpaid care.