The Impact of Alzheimer's

The incidence of Alzheimer's disease keeps growing as the population of elderly Americans grows. This developing trend is having serious and widespread social as well as economic consequences.

Incidence

• The Alzheimer's Association reports that 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer's, with a new case developing every 70 seconds.

Projections

• Projections for 2010 are half a million new patients annually. One million new cases per year is the projected figure for 2050.

Mortality

• Alzheimer's is the sixth most common cause of death in America and the fifth most common among Americans 65 years and older. The death rate has risen 46.1 percent compared to the period between 2000 and 2006.

Cost

• Alzheimer's disease accounts for $148 billion in total annual health care costs. The Alzheimer's Association's 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report states that Medicare payments are almost three times higher for Alzheimer's and dementia patients 65 and over. Medicaid payments are more than nine times higher.

Effect on Society

• The increasing incidence of Alzheimer's will affect caregivers, families, health care systems and state budgets well into the future. States are preparing for these developments by partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a survey that assesses the characteristics and needs of Alzheimer's patients.