Number of Alzheimer’s deaths in Illinois on the rise

CARBONDALE–  The Alzheimer’s Association 2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report was released today, including important, updated findings related to the individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia living in Illinois.

An estimated 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s dementia in 2018, including 220,000 in Illinois. By 2025, the report projects an 18.2 percent increase in the number of people with Alzheimer’s or another dementia in Illinois alone.  

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in both Illinois and the U.S. and the only disease in the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. without a way to prevent, cure or even slow its progression. In Illinois, there were 3,686 deaths from Alzheimer’s disease in 2015 – nearly a 13 percent increase from 2014.

From 2000-2015, the number of deaths nationally from Alzheimer’s disease as recorded on death certificates increased by 123 percent, while the number of deaths from other major diseases has decreased:

• HIV deaths decreased by 55 percent.
• Stroke deaths decreased by 16 percent.
• Heart disease deaths decreased by 11 percent.
• Prostate cancer deaths decreased by 7 percent.
• Breast cancer deaths decreased by 1 percent.

The report also discusses the disease’s impact on caregivers, such as family members. In 2017, more than 16 million Americans (including 590,000 Illinoisans) provided 18.4 billion hours of unpaid care, including physical, emotional and financial support for the estimated 5.7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s. This impact of dementia caregiving is estimated to have resulted in $11.4 billion in health care costs in the United States in 2017.

To shed additional light on these findings, I would be happy to arrange an interview with a local Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter spokesperson.

A press release with additional findings from the report is below, and the full text of this year’s Facts and Figures report can be viewed at www.alz.org/facts.

Contact: Kaylin Risvold, Senior Manager, Media Relations, Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter, 847-779-6948, krisvold@alz.org

New Alzheimer’s Association Report Reveals Sharp Increases in Alzheimer’s Prevalence, Deaths and Costs of Care

For the second consecutive year, total payments to care for individuals living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias will surpass a quarter of a trillion dollars ($277 billion), which includes an increase of nearly $20 billion from last year, according to data reported in the Alzheimer’s Association 2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report released today.  

New findings from the report show the growing burden of Alzheimer’s on people living with the disease, their families and caregivers, as well as society at large. The number of older Americans is growing rapidly, so too is the number of people living with Alzheimer’s and the subsequent impact to the nation’s economy. By 2050, the total cost of care for Alzheimer’s is projected to increase to more than $1.1 trillion.

Given the long duration of this disease, the strain on Alzheimer’s caregivers can last several years and produce serious declines in caregiver physical, emotional and financial well-being. In 2017, 16 million Americans provided an estimated 18.4 billion hours of unpaid care in the form of physical, emotional and financial support – a contribution to the nation valued at $232.1 billion.

Updated Alzheimer’s Statistics

The Facts and Figures report provides an in-depth look at the latest national and state statistics and information on Alzheimer’s prevalence, incidence, mortality, costs of care and caregiving:

Prevalence, Incidence and Mortality

• An estimated 5.7 million Americans of all ages are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2018.
• Of the estimated 5.7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2018, 220,000 are Illinois residents.
• By 2025 – just seven years from now – the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s dementia is estimated to reach 7.1 million – an increase of almost 29 percent from the 5.5 million age 65 and older affected in 2018. Here in Illinois, the estimated number of individuals with Alzheimer’s will be 260,000.
• Barring the development of medical breakthroughs, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s dementia may nearly triple from 5.5 million to 13.8 million by 2050.
• Two-thirds of Americans over age 65 with Alzheimer’s dementia (3.4 million) are women.
• Every 65 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s dementia. By mid-century, someone in the U.S. will develop the disease every 33 seconds.
• Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S., and it is the fifth-leading cause of death for those age 65 and older. In Illinois, 3,686 died with Alzheimer’s in 2015, the most recent figure available.
• As the population of the U.S. ages, Alzheimer’s is becoming a more common cause of death, and it is the only top 10 cause of death that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed.

Cost of Care

• In Illinois, the report estimated total Medicaid costs for Americans with dementia age 65 and older is $1.649 billion for 2018. In the next seven years, that figure is expected to increase 31.1 percent.
• Total national cost of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is estimated at $277 billion (not including unpaid caregiving) in 2018, of which $186 billion is the cost to Medicare and Medicaid; out-of-pocket costs represent $60 billion of the total payments, while other costs total $30 billion.
• Total payments for health care, long-term care and hospice care for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias are projected to increase to more than $1.1 trillion in 2050 (in 2018 dollars).
• In 2017, the lifetime cost of care for a person living with dementia was $341,840 – with 70 percent of this cost borne by families directly through out-of-pocket costs and the value of unpaid care.

Caregiving

• Nearly half of all caregivers (48 percent) who provide help to older adults do so for someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
• Approximately two-thirds of caregivers are women, and one-third of dementia caregivers are daughters.
• Forty-one percent of caregivers have a household income of $50,000 or less.

About 2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures

The Alzheimer’s Association 2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report is a comprehensive compilation of national statistics and information on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The report conveys the impact of Alzheimer’s on individuals, families, government and the nation’s health care system. Since its 2007 inaugural release, the report has become the preeminent source covering the broad spectrum of Alzheimer’s issues. The Facts and Figures report is an official publication of the Alzheimer’s Association.

About the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter:

The Alzheimer’s Association® is the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s research, care and support. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. The Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter covers an 87-county area with offices in Chicago, Joliet, Rockford, Springfield, Bloomington, Peoria, Quincy and Carbondale. Since 1980, the Chapter has provided reliable information and care consultation; created supportive services for families; increased funding for dementia research; and influenced public policy changes. The Illinois Chapter serves more than half a million Illinois residents affected by Alzheimer’s disease, including more than 220,000 Illinois residents living with the disease. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s®. For more information visit www.alz.org/illinois or call our free 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.