Alzheimer Care Costs U.S. a Trillion Dollars, According to Report

Alzheimer's Association
Friday, 12 August 1994

A report that Alzheimer's disease will cost this country $1.75 trillion is further evidence that this brain disorder is an urgent public health issue requiring immediate attention, according to the national Alzheimer's Association.

"If the data analysis in this report is accurate, Alzheimer's disease is draining the resources of this country, and its citizens, at a greater rate than even we thought," said Edward Truschke, Association president.

The study, "The U.S. Economic and Social Costs of Alzheimer's Disease Revisited," by Richard L. Ernst, Ph.D. and Joel W. Hay, Ph.D. appears in the August 1994 issue of American Journal of Public Health. The study found that Alzheimer's disease costs approximately $174,000 per patient lifetime and is the third most expensive disease in the United States, after heart disease and cancer. Costs include direct medical and social service expenses, unpaid caregiver costs, nursing home costs, and lost earnings and productivity by patients.

The study appeared to use very conservative estimates of the number of people affected by the disease, and its duration. Even so, the cost estimates are overwhelming for our nation, our health care system and American families.

Preventing the disease, or delaying its onset, would greatly reduce its cost, but that requires a stronger commitment by the federal government to biomedical research.

"There is considerable momentum now in Alzheimer research, but the payoff requires additional investment," Truschke said. "If we can find a way to delay Alzheimer symptoms for just five years, we could reduce by half the number of people with the disease. This could save the country as much as $50 billion annually."

The Alzheimer's Association is the largest national voluntary health organization dedicated to research for the causes, treatments, prevention and cure of Alzheimer's disease and to providing education and support services to the four million Americans with the disease, their families and caregivers. You can reach the Alzheimer's Association at (800) 272-3900.

For more information, or to contact Alzheimer's Association, see their website at: www.alz.org