Healthcare spending in 2024 is expected to reach $360 billion, an increase of $15 billion from 2023.
YORK, Pa. — The Alzheimer's Association releases its 2024 Disease Facts and Figures Report, showing nearly 7 million older adults in our country are living with Alzheimer's disease.
“We saw some really mind-boggling statistics in the major report,” said Clay Jacobs of the association's Greater Pennsylvania Chapter. “More Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, more people are dying from the disease, and the cost of the disease to individual families, caregivers, and the government continues to rise.”
According to the report, $360 billion will be spent on treating Alzheimer's disease this year, an increase of $15 billion from just one year ago. If their predictions are correct, that amount is expected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2050.
It also found that 7 in 10 caregivers feel stressed coordinating Alzheimer's care, with 53% saying navigating care remains a challenge.
“Pennsylvania has the highest average number of hours per family caregiver in the nation, with Pennsylvania caregivers providing more care than 40 other states,” Jacobs said.
Regardless, Clay said efforts to improve this year's statistics exist and are very much underway. Thanks to advances in medicine, such as the FDA's full approval of the drug Rekenbi, patients can now take drugs in the early stages of the disease to slow its progression.
“You might be able to go a long time without symptoms, which is good, but then you change the story. So all of this is happening now, and it's something we need to be aware of. '' Jacobs said.
If you would like to see the full 2024 report, click here.
For more information about the Alzheimer's Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter, click here.
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