Why dementia care costs are so high, and how you can lower them in your family.

Last week, the RAND Corporation reported that dementia care costs are projected to double by the year 2040. Their study predicts that as the baby boomer population ages, cases of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia will increase, requiring a corresponding increase in the need for quality dementia care. The New York Times wrote that “direct health care expenses for dementia, including nursing home care, were $109 billion [in America] in 2010. For heart disease, those costs totaled $102 billion; for cancer, $77 billion.” The underlying question we need to ask is: what is it about Alzheimer’s and dementia that makes care costs so high?

To understand these numbers, we need to understand how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain. Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease that gradually destroys memory and thinking skills as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles consume the brain. As plaques and tangles grow, brain tissue deteriorates, which causes memory loss and eventually dementia. The National Institute on Aging explains that plaques and tangles interfere with neurons in the brain, which prevent them from sending signals to the rest of the body. This lack of communication often causes dementia, or “the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.” The Alzheimer’s Association informs us that advanced dementia can cause “complications such as immobility, swallowing disorders and malnutrition that can significantly increase the risk of other serious conditions that can cause death.” As one begins to grasp the nature of the disease, it is easy to see how dementia patients become completely reliant on others for care.

When Alzheimer’s and dementia patients reach the stage where they are unable to complete daily activities, family members often step in to provide unpaid assistance. In its 2013 Facts and Figures report, the Alzheimer’s Association summarized that,

In 2012, the 15.4 million family and other unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias provided an estimated 17.5 billion hours of unpaid care. This number represents an average of 21.9 hours of care per caregiver per week, or 1,139 hours of care per caregiver per year. With this care valued at $12.33 per hour, the estimated economic value of care provided by family and other unpaid caregivers of people with dementia was $216.4 billion in 2012 … [In addition to unpaid caregivers, many dementia patients] also receive paid services at home; in adult day centers ($70 per day), assisted living facilities ($42,600 per year) or nursing homes ($81,030 to $90,520 per year).

Those are astounding numbers. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to help reduce your family member’s overall care costs. Alzheimer’s and dementia patients benefit greatly from physically and mentally stimulating activities. Activities that your loved one enjoys such as participating in an art class or even going for a walk will encourage your family member to stay engaged with his or her surroundings. Stimulating activities have been shown to improve mood, and reduce loneliness and depression. Similarly, positive engagement reinforces memories, which can help delay the progression of Alzheimer’s.

However, Mitchell Abrams, Managing Director of Homewatch CareGivers in Northbrook, warns against taking a dementia patient to too many new places. “Being in an unfamiliar setting can cause a person with dementia to become stressed and confused, which will ultimately drive up care costs. Engaging your family member in a familiar setting reduces confusion and helps keep your family member happy, and can ultimately keep the cost of care down.”

Staying in familiar surroundings can also slow the progress of these diseases. Because the ability to form new memories is affected first, it can be reassuring to the Alzheimer’s patient to remain surrounded by favorite knick-knacks or books. Even knowing something as simple as where the towels are kept allows someone with memory impairment to retain the sense of being in control. With appropriate management, keeping a loved one in his or her home for as long as possible often provides the best results physically, emotionally, and financially.

Founded in 1980, Homewatch CareGivers has been delivering exceptional care to the elderly and their families for more than 30 years. Our mission is to preserve dignity, protect independence, and provide peace of mind for clients and their families through exceptional home care services.