Lastest Alzheimer's Statistics -- U.S. (2009)
Source: Texas Alzheimer's Research Consortium



Alzheimer's Impact on Texas

One out of eight people age 65 and older (13 percent) has Alzheimer’s disease.  Women, who on average live longer than men, are more likely than men to have Alzheimer's disease.

Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s. A small percentage of Alzheimer cases is caused by rare, genetic variations found in a few hundred families worldwide.

Alzheimer's is the most frequent cause of dementia, accounting for 70 percent of all cases of dementia in Americans aged 71 and older.  

According to the latest (2009) projections released by the national Alzheimer's Association:

• By 2030, all baby boomers will be at least 65 years old.  That year, the number of people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer's is expected to reach 7.7 million, more than a 50 percent increase from the 5.1 million age 65 order older currently (2009) affected.
• By 2050, that number is expected to reach between 11 and 16 million unless medical breakthroughs identify ways to prevent or more effectively treat the disease.

Almost 10 million Americans provide uncompensated care for a person with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia.  In Texas, an estimated 760,500 caregivers annually provide 656.5 million hours of uncompensated care valued at $7.2 billion.

Many caregivers experience high levels of stress and negative effects on their health, employment, income and financial security.

Mortality

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death (across all ages) in the United States and the fifth leading cause of death for those age 65 and older (2006).

Deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased nationwide by 47.1 percent (2000-2006).  In contrast, other leading causes of death declined in this period: heart disease deaths, down 11.5 percent; breast cancer deaths, down 0.6 percent; deaths from prostate cancer, down 14.3 percent; and deaths from stroke, down 18.1 percent. 

Deaths caused by Alzheimer’s may be under-reported because persons with the disease usually have one or more serious co-existing conditions, such as heart disease or stroke, which end up being cited on death certificates.

Cost of Alzheimer’s Disease

Direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias amount to more than $148 billion annually.

In 2005, Medicare spent $91 billion on beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s and other dementias and that number is projected to more than double to $189 billion by 2015.

Almost 10 million Americans are caring for a person with Alzheimer’s or another dementia; approximately one out of three of these caregivers is age 60 or older.

More than half of the 50 states provide more than a billion dollars in unpaid care to AD patients each year. States ranking highest in uncompensated AD care provided by caretakers are: California ($10.6 billion), Texas ($7.2 billion), and Florida ($5.4 billion).

Alzheimer's Impact on Texas

In 2007, 183,562 Texans spent some time in a nursing home.  Seventy-seven percent had some form of dementia, with 45 percent having severe cognitive impairment. 

The number of deaths attributable to Alzheimer's disease in Texas was 4,629 deaths in 2005; however, a number of studies have documented substantial under-reporting of Alzheimer's disease on death certificates as an underlying or contributing cause of death.

Impact on Caregivers

In Texas, about 760,500 caregivers annually provide 656.5 million hours of uncompensated care valued at $7.2 billion -- ranking Texas 2nd in the nation, behind California, in uncompensated care costs related to Alzheimer's disease.

Cost to the State of Texas

Based on Texas’ share of the population, Texas businesses must absorb $4.5 billion in costs linked to health coverage for Alzheimer’s patients and lost productivity in the workplace.

Source: National Alzheimer's Association, 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures

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