According to the study caring for patients with dementia, often called alzheimer's is a great financial burden on society, greater than caring for patients with heart disease or cancer.
Researchers compared the cost of treating heart disease, cancer and alzheimer's and found alzheimers care to be 109 billion annualy while, cancer is 77billion and heart disease 102 billion.
The study was done in the USA using US participants.
For the study researchers collected data on ;
- Self-reported out of pocket cost
- Nursing home spending
- Medicare claims data
- Hours spent by unpaid volunteers
When support from family and friends was given a cost value the annual cost doubled, to 215 billion. Researchers predict this figure will reach 511 billion by 2040.
Read more about this report on the cost of dementia care.
