A new study found that roughly four in 10 people over the age of 55 are likely to develop dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association says it’s one of the most expensive medical conditions.
"The full total cost of Alzheimer's, so across the disease course, is about $392,874," said Kinsey McManus with the Alzheimer's Association in Phoenix.
It’s also, in some ways, a woman's disease.
"So, two-thirds of people who have Alzheimer's disease are women, and two-thirds of the family caregivers of someone living with the disease are also women," McManus said.
At the same time, she says, "they also are the ones that are more likely to take the reduction in hours. The other thing that we haven't really kind of talked about is … you often have to request additional flexibility."
Return to office
As more companies push for a return to office, McManus hopes that employers continue to offer accommodations, still, she worries.
"Unfortunately, I do think it's going to have a major potential toll on caregivers. Once you're required to be back in person, that really means it changes a person's ability to have some of that flexibility," she said, for things like doctor’s appointments, support groups or simply being able to keep an eye on their loved one if no one else is around.
"Especially here in Arizona, our caregivers for dementia are putting in some of the highest number of hours of care. It's around 37 hours a week, so our family caregivers are caregiving almost full-time in addition to trying to work for most full-time because again, we have to look at the financial costs of the disease."
Medicare does not cover the cost of most long-term care, and programs like Arizona’s Long Term Care System, which absorbs much of the cost, is difficult to obtain.
Where to find resources
For caregivers, people living with dementia or those concerned about memory loss, the ALZNavigator from the Alzheimer's Association can help find resources and tools all in one place, by answering a few questions.
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