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Ensure that implementation of the Deficit Reduction Act protects individuals with Alzheimer's disease from undue hardship; preserve the value of the Medicaid program for people with long-term care needs; implement the expansion of the Long-Term Care Partnership Programs; initiate a national dialogue to reach consensus on a viable solution to the long-term care financing problem; provide more support for family caregivers by reauthorizing the Older Americans Act and increasing funding for the National Family Caregiver Support Program.
Until scientific breakthroughs materialize that can improve
the treatment of Alzheimer’s and effectively prevent
the disease, millions of individuals will need care from
both family and professional caregivers.
Alzheimer’s is the most expensive uninsured illness
older Americans are likely to face. It requires round-the-clock
care and lasts, on average, seven to eight years from the
time of diagnosis. At least 70 percent of people with Alzheimer’s
disease are living at home, where family and friends are
providing most if not all of their care. Eventually, the
needs of the person with dementia are too much for most
families to manage on their own. That is when costs begin
to rapidly mount.
In 2006, the national average cost for a private room in
a nursing home is $70,912 a year. The annual cost of nursing
home care is higher than the average income of residents
in 48 out of 50 states. Home care is also expensive, costing
an average of $25.32 per hour for a home health aide or
nearly $53,000 per year for 40 hours of help per week. The
average monthly cost for a private, one-bedroom unit in
an assisted living facility is $2,691.20 ($32,294.40 per
year). In 2005, adult day care costs ranged from $25 to
more than $100 per day, depending on services offered and
geographic region. At those costs, retirement savings are
quickly exhausted.
Next: Deficit Reduction Act
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Alzheimer’s is the most expensive uninsured illness older Americans are likely to face. It requires round-the-clock care and lasts, on average, seven to eight years from the time of diagnosis.
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