New Alzheimer's Association Report Shines a Light on Caregiver Burden and Workforce Shortage

The Alzheimer’s Association 2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report highlights prevalence, caregiver burden and direct care workforce shortages. The new report released today shows there were an estimated 191,000 dementia family caregivers across Wisconsin caring for more than 120,000 on a journey with dementia.
 
“The new Facts and Figures report shows that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias continue to be a significant burden for too many Wisconsin families,” said Dave Grams, executive director, Alzheimer’s Association Wisconsin Chapter. “It's critical to continue to work toward advancing new treatments that can stop or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, while also continuing to provide care and support services to help all those affected.”
2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures: At a Glance
National Prevalence, Incidence and Mortality

• An estimated 6.7 million Americans 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2023 (up from 6.5 million as stated in the 2022 Facts and Figures report). 
• About 1 in 9 people (10.8%) age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s dementia.
• The death rate due to Alzheimer’s disease between 2000 and 2019 increased 33% for people age 65 to 74, 51% for people age 75-84 and 78% for people age 85 and older.
• 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia.

• In 2022, more than 11 million caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias provided an estimated 18 billion hours of unpaid care, a contribution to the nation valued at more than $339.5 billion. 
• 59% of unpaid caregivers report emotional stress and 38% report physical stress due to caregiving.
• The prevalence of depression is higher among dementia caregivers (30%-40%) when compared to caregivers for other conditions such as schizophrenia (20%) or stroke (19%)
• Dementia caregivers report higher rates of chronic conditions including stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer compared to caregivers of people without dementia or non-caregivers.

• Number of Wisconsin residents aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s: 120,000
• Estimated number of Wisconsin residents living with Alzheimer’s in 2025: 130,000
• Number of Wisconsin residents serving as unpaid family caregivers: 191,000
• Total hours of unpaid care provided: 213,000,000; Total value of unpaid care: $3,970,000,000

• The shortage of dementia care specialists is a barrier to a timely and accurate diagnosis, and a lack of diagnosis means a delay in treatments, care delivery and supportive services.
• 55% of primary care physicians caring for people living with Alzheimer’s report there are not enough dementia care specialists in their communities to meet patient demands.
• Shortages of geriatricians and neurologists necessary to care for the aging U.S. population – which is expected to grow from 58 million people 65 and older in 2021 to 88 million by 2050 – remains a major challenge as 13 million Americans are projected to live with Alzheimer’s disease by 2050.
  • In Wisconsin there are only 83 geriatricians. In order to meet the demand by 2050 that number would need to increase by 228.9%.