Most people think of Alzheimer’s in terms of its most profound clinical effects: the memory loss, confusion, wandering off etc. Not many outside of the caregivers are cognizant of its economic implications.
I was one of those people up until recently – this was brought home with the passing of my grandmother right around the holidays and the subsequent events afterwards.
Alzheimers BY THE NUMBERS
To understand the scope of the impact you have to look at some of the numbers:
Over five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, with 200,000 under the age of 65.
Deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased 68 percent between 2000 and 2010
With the first of the baby boomer generation now turning 65, the U.S. population aged 65 and over is expected to double by 2030.
Caring for people with Alzheimer’s will cost all payers - Medicare, Medicaid, individuals, private insurance and HMOs -- $20 trillion over the next 40 years, enough to pay off the national debt and still send a $10,000 check to every man, woman and child in America.
In 2012, America will have spent an estimated $200 billion in direct costs for those with Alzheimer’s, including $140 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid.
Testimony from Harry Johns, CEO, Alzheimer’s Association, Committee on Appropriations, US House of Representatives, March 13, 2013
Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers had $8.7 billion in additional health costs in 2011
This country in its current state is woefully unprepared to deal with this on a macro level let alone with individuals.
When my mother called me back in December to tell me that Grandma was not going to last much longer, I had to make a decision: to stay at the job I was currently at which was a temp project or to go to be with and help my mom during the transition. As an only child the choice was more of a fore gone conclusion. Trying to be at work and be productive while waiting for that “phonecall” would have been a stunning waste of time.
Going and being there took a great mental toll, as Grandma held on till two days before Christmas. While most were out and about shopping, socializing and engaged in holiday cheer based activities, I spent Christmas Eve writing my grandmother’s obituary and picking out her casket.
The level of stress has not diminished much in that even after the services were done and everyone went back home, I now have the responsibility of dealing with my mother who herself is showing some signs of some form of cognitive impairment. I am not as a result able to partake of a full-time 9 to 5 based job. I have had to free-lance out of necessity with varying degrees of success.
Assistance for single people with no children is pretty much non-existent here at least.
While I was about to be eligible for health care via my employer, that all got halted when I left and now am having to go through the healthcare.gov marketplace to get coverage. Unfortunately I live in one of those states that did not implement the expansions to the ACA.
So even my ability to seek medical treatment right now till that s all resolved is impacted.
As now the primary caregiver for my mother (who is 82 by the way), my options are severely limited. My finances are usually dicey and my ability to seek medical treatment currently is temporarily impaired.
I struggle with/battle depression and anxiety on a regular basis, and since im single there is no backup if I am unable to do something it will not in all likelihood get done.
Knowing one has to choose between regular income and independence vs. one’s family is generally disquieting and profoundly disappointing.
Unless something happens in this country soon this will not just be a random tale of woe as told by the one. It will become the standard for most with unimaginable, negative consequences.
Note: my grandmother was born in 1912 and was 102 when she passed away this past December. She had been battling with Alzheimer’s for close to 10 years.