Mounting Toll of Alzheimer's in Lives, Dollars in San Diego Spelled Out in Reports

Two reports from San Diego County estimate that more than 84,000 county residents are living with Alzheimer's and related dementias, and they should number 115,000 by 2030, reports the San Diego Union Tribune . Meanwhile, the lifetime cost of care for such residents currently tops $38 billion and should exceed $52 billion by 2030. Alzheimer's is the third-leading cause of death in San Diego County, while 10.7 percent of those 55 and older are living with dementia across the county. One study found nearly 17 percent of almost 131,000 East County residents had Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia in 2015, and Supervisor Dianne Jacob notes, "Clearly, we're facing an epidemic, and we're not prepared." Caring for people with dementia will demand about 300,000 caregivers in the county by 2030, and relatives usually fill this role. Healthcare costs to unpaid caregivers in San Diego County totaled about $134 million in 2015, and they could rise to $183 million by 2030. The studies stress three strategies to follow in view of the lack of a treatment to halt or slow the cognitive decline, including preparation to help deal with the mounting burden, prevention via maintenance of healthy brain habits associated with a lower risk of dementia, and research to find new treatment and prevention approaches.