Alzheimer's Disease Statistics

Alzheimer's disease in the United States

An estimated 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. The number of Americans with Alzheimer's has more than doubled since 1980.

The number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease will continue to grow - by 2050 the number of individuals with Alzheimer's could range from 11.3 million to 16 million.

Finding a treatment that could delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease by five years could reduce the number of individuals with the disease by nearly 50 percent after 50 years.

A Gallup poll commissioned by the Alzheimer's Association found that 1 in 10 Americans said that they had a family member with Alzheimer's and 1 in 3 knew someone with the disease.

Increasing age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's. One in 10 individuals over 65 and nearly half over 85 are affected.

Rare, inherited forms the disease can strike individuals as early as their 30s and 40s.

A person with Alzheimer's disease will live an average of eight years and up to as many as 20 years from the onset of symptoms as estimated by relatives.

From the time of diagnosis, people with Alzheimer's survive about half as long as those of similar age without dementia. Average survival time is affected by age at diagnosis and severity of other medical conditions.

The cost of care to families

The average lifetime cost of care for an individual with Alzheimer's disease is $170,000.

More than 7 out of 10 people with Alzheimer's disease live at home, where family and friends provide almost 75 percent of their care.

The remainder is "paid care" costing an average of $12,500 per year. Almost all families pay this out of pocket.

National direct and indirect costs of caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease are at least $100 billion, according to estimates used by the Alzheimer's Association and the National Institute on Aging.

The cost of care to government, long-term care and business

By 2010, Medicare costs for beneficiaries with Alzheimer's are expected to increase 54.5 percent, from $31.9 billion in 2000 to $49.3 billion, and Medicaid expenditures on residential dementia care will increase 80 percent, from $18.2 billion to $33 billion in 2010, according to a report commissioned by the Alzheimer's Association.

Half of all nursing home residents have Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder.

The average cost for nursing home care is $42,000 per year, but can exceed $70,000 per year in some areas of the country.

Alzheimer's disease costs American businesses $61 billion a year, according to a report commissioned by the Alzheimer's Association. Of that figure, $24.6 billion covers Alzheimer health care and $36.5 billion covers costs related to caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's, including lost productivity, absenteeism and worker replacement.

America's growing commitment to research

In 1980, the budget for the National Institute on Aging was $20 million. In fiscal year 2003, the federal government estimates spending approximately $640 million for Alzheimer's disease research.

In 1982, the Alzheimer's Association awarded its first round of research grants, totaling just under $80,000. Today, the Association is the largest private funder of Alzheimer's disease research, having awarded more than $150 million in research grants since 1982, according to our audited annual financial statements.

Fact sheet updated 04.05.04

For more information about Alzheimer's disease research, treatment and care, please contact the Alzheimer's Association.

Contact Center 800.272.3900
TDD Access 312.335.8882
Web site www.alz.org
e-mail info@alz.org

For questions or further information on statistics, please contact the
Alzheimer's Association Green-Field Library
by calling 800.272.3900 or 312.335.9602
or by emailing greenfield@alz.org.

Top of Page

Back to Alzheimer's Disease Information