Dementia in some country

Dementia in Japan [i]

§   By the end of Sept. 2003, there were 20,561 people over 100 years old in Japan, of which 84.6% were female. Prevalence of dementia increases with age with a prevalence of 1.5% in the group aged 65-69 and 27.3% in the group aged 85 and over. In Japan dementia of vascular type is more prevalent than Alzheimer type. Estimates of vascular versus Alzheimer dementia in Japan are probably distorted because of cultural factors, i.e. it is more acceptable to have a vascular disorder than a mental disorder.

Dementia in Canada3

§  There were an estimated 83,200 new cases of dementia in 2001. By 2011 new cases of dementia are expected to reach 111,600 per year. Alzheimer disease affects 1 in 20 Canadians over age 65. By 2031: over 3/4 million Canadians are expected to have Alzheimer disease and related dementias.

Dementia in the US [ii]

§  An estimated 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer disease, according to data from 2000 U.S. census. This data also shows that by 2050, the number of Americans with Alzheimer disease could range from 11.3 million to 16 million.

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

§  Alzheimer disease costs American business $61 billion a year, according to a report commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Association. Of this amount, $24.6 billion covers Alzheimer health care and $36.5 billion covers costs related to caregivers of individuals with AD, including lost work productivity, absenteeism and worker replacement.

§  More than 70 percent of people with AD live at home, where family and friends provide almost 75 percent of their care. The remainder is “paid’ care costing an average of U.S $12,500 per year. Families pay most of this amount out of pocket. An estimated half of all nursing home residents have Alzheimer disease or a related dementia disorder. The average cost for nursing home care is estimated at $42,000 per year. The average lifetime cost taking care of a patient with AD of care is $174,000.

§  Medicare costs for beneficiaries with Alzheimer disease are expected to increase 54.5 percent, from $31.9 billion in 2000 to $49.3 billion by 2010. Furthermore, 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.

§  The Alzheimer’s Association has given more than $150 million towards research grants since 1982.

§  The federal government estimates spending approximately $640 million for Alzheimer disease research in fiscal year 2003.

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[i] http://www.alzheimer.or.jp. Alzheimer’s organization of Japan. Last accessed March 08, 2004.

[ii] http://www.alz.org/AboutAD/statistics.asp. Alzheimer’s Association. USA. US statistics on Alzheimer’s disease. Last accessed March 09, 2004.