WNY Family Magazine March 2020 | Page 47

ALZHEIMER STATISTICS continued...  In New York, the report es- timated total Medicaid costs for Americans with dementia age 65 and older is $5-Bil- lion for 2019. In the next six years, that figure is expected to increase 24%.  Total payments for health care, long-term care and hos- pice care for people with Al- zheimer’s and other demen- tias are projected to increase to more than $1.1 trillion in 2050 (in 2019 dollars). Caregiving  More than 16 million Ameri- cans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. In New York, there are more than 1-million caregivers.  Approximately two-thirds of caregivers are women, and one-third of dementia care- givers are daughters.  It is estimated that the U.S. has approximately half the number of certified geriatri- cians than it currently needs, and only 9 percent of nurse practitioners report having special expertise in geronto- logical care. The Alzheimer’s Association 2019 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report is a compre- hensive compilation of national statistics and information on Al- zheimer’s disease and related de- mentias. The report conveys the impact of Alzheimer’s on individu- als, families, government and the nation’s health care system. Since its 2007 inaugural release, the re- port has become the preeminent source covering the broad spec- trum of Alzheimer’s issues. The Facts and Figures report is an offi- cial publication of the Alzheimer’s Association. You can view the re- port at www.alz.org/facts March 2020 WNY Family 47