Alzheimer’s report displays challenges of disease
The recently released 2022 Alzheimer无毛视频檚 Disease Facts and Figures Report by the Alzheimer无毛视频檚 Association showed that the burden of the disease in the country and the state continues to grow.
The report provides an in-depth look at the latest statistics on Alzheimer无毛视频檚 disease in the areas of prevalence, incidence, mortality, costs of care and impact on caregivers.
More Americans are living with the disease. An estimated 6.5 million Americans ages 65 and older had Alzheimer无毛视频檚 as of 2021, including 280,000 in Pennsylvania.
Deaths due to Alzheimer无毛视频檚 have increased by an eye-popping 145% since 2021, including 280,000 in Pennsylvania.
This has resulted in many friends and family serving as Alzheimer无毛视频檚 caregivers. In Pennsylvania, 401,000 caregivers provided a total of 642 million hours of unpaid care, valued at more than $10 billion.
The Medicaid costs for caring for people with Alzheimer无毛视频檚 are estimated at $3.658 billion. By 2025, these costs are projected to increase by 10.2%.
无毛视频淚t really amplifies the fact that we need to address the impact that dementia is having not only on our health system, but on our families and cost of care,无毛视频� said Sara Murphy, vice president of program and services, Alzheimer无毛视频檚 Association, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter. 无毛视频淭his is really an urgent public health crisis.无毛视频�
Sara Porter is a recruiter retention coordinator for Home Instead in Washington, which provides personalized in-home senior care services, where a lot of clients display symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer无毛视频檚.
无毛视频淢any times, we have clients where we see all of the signs of dementia, but they无毛视频檙e never officially diagnosed,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淭hat makes things extremely challenging. We can potentially get them extra help, but a diagnosis is needed to provide treatment. There无毛视频檚 resources out there, but the diagnosis isn无毛视频檛 there.无毛视频�
Porter, who lives in Lone Pine, has a personal connection to the disease. Her grandmother, Joanne Locy, battled dementia, dying in 2019.
无毛视频淪he had signs and symptoms of dementia in 2011 and it took us until 2017 to actually get her diagnosed,无毛视频� Porter said. 无毛视频�(Primary care physicians) aren无毛视频檛 too fond of giving out that kind of diagnosis. They want to leave it to the professionals, but at the same time, unless you give a referral for a gerontologist, a lot of people don无毛视频檛 even know they exist. It almost should be a recommendation, that once you hit a certain age, you should follow up with a gerontologist.无毛视频�
The report showed that only 23% of PCPs say they are familiar with new therapies in the pipeline to address mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer无毛视频檚 disease. When MCI is detected, PCPs most often recommended lifestyle changes (73%).
This year无毛视频檚 report includes a new section on the dementia care workforce. In Pennsylvania, there are about 273 geriatricians. By 2050, 601 geriatricians will be needed to serve 10% of those 65 and older in the commonwealth.
无毛视频淭he need is great to have compassionate individuals in the workforce, those that specialize in the diagnosing and treating of those with Alzheimer无毛视频檚 or other dementia,无毛视频� Murphy admitted. 无毛视频淎 look at the numbers in the report and what the numbers will look like for those with a diagnosis in 2050 compared to the amount of specialists that we have, all of it doesn无毛视频檛 balance out.无毛视频�
Murphy said easing and improving cognitive assessments for primary care physicians to conduct could be a way of combatting the shortage of specialists for these types of diseases.
There is some optimism. Patients and PCPs feel that new treatments to combat Alzheimer无毛视频檚 disease are on the horizon. As of February, there are 104 disease-modifying treatments being evaluated in clinical trials or at various stages of regulatory appeal.
无毛视频淲ith this report, we want to promote greater public awareness in the community,无毛视频� Murphy said. 无毛视频淎s the numbers continue to rise, the Alzheimer无毛视频檚 Association will stay true to its mission, by increasing awareness of the need for early detection and diagnosis, expanding local care and support services for all of those affected by Alzheimer无毛视频檚 and dementia, and funding critical research.无毛视频�