Special Report Examines Racial and Ethnic Attitudes

FROM THE WISCONSIN CHAPTER OF THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION

MILWAUKEE, WI, March 2, 2021 – Findings from two national surveys appearing in the Alzheimer’s Association 2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report that the Alzheimer’s burden across the country continues to grow. This year 1 in 9 Americans 65 and older – or 6.2 million people in the U.S. – are living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. There are 120,000 Wisconsin residents living with Alzheimer’s.

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 Wendy Betley, senior program director, Alzheimer’s Association Wisconsin Chapter. “We must 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.

Alzheimer’s disease-related statistics for Wisconsin revealed the following:

• 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
• Percentage change: 8.3%
• Statewide deaths from Alzheimer’s disease (2019): 2,390
• Number of Wisconsin residents serving as unpaid family caregivers: 196,000
• Total hours of unpaid care provided: 204,000,000
• Total value of unpaid care: $3,386,000,000

2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures: At a Glance

Prevalence, Incidence and Mortality

• An estimated 6.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2021.
• More than 1 in 9 people (11.3%) age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s dementia.
• Two-thirds of Americans over age 65 with Alzheimer’s dementia (3.8 million) are women.
• Deaths due to Alzheimer’s between 2000 and 2019, has more than doubled, increasing 145%.
• 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.

Caregiving

• In 2020, more than 11 million caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias provided an estimated 15.3 billion hours of unpaid care, a contribution to the nation valued at $257 billion.
• Nearly half of all caregivers (48%) who provide help to older adults do so for someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
• Approximately two-thirds of caregivers are women, and one-third of dementia caregivers are daughters.
• Forty-one percent of caregivers have a household income of $50,000 or less.

Cost of Care

• In 2021, total payments for all individuals with Alzheimer’s or other dementias are estimated at $355 billion (not including unpaid caregiving).
• Medicare and Medicaid are expected to cover $239 billion or 67% of the total health care and long-term care payments for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Out-of-pocket spending is expected to be $76 billion.
• Total payments for health care, long-term care and hospice care for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias are projected to increase to more than $1.1 trillion in 2050.
• The total lifetime cost of care for someone with dementia is estimated at $373,527.

For the first time, the accompanying special report, “Race, Ethnicity and Alzheimer’s in America,” examines perspectives and experiences of Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native and White Americans in regard to Alzheimer’s and dementia care.

Findings in the report, reveal that non-White racial/ethnic populations expect and experience more barriers when accessing dementia care, have less trust in medical research and are less confident that they have access to health professionals who understand their ethnic and racial background and experiences. Among the findings:

• Two-thirds of Black Americans (66%) believe it is harder for them to get excellent care for Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Likewise, 2 in 5 Native Americans (40%) and Hispanic Americans (39%) believe their own race or ethnicity makes it harder to get care, as do one-third of Asian Americans (34%).
• Nearly two-thirds of Black Americans (62%) believe that medical research is biased against people of color — a view shared by substantial numbers of Asian Americans (45%), Native Americans (40%) and Hispanic Americans (36%) as well. Only half of Black Americans (53%) trust a future cure for Alzheimer’s will be shared equally regardless of race, color or ethnicity.
• Fewer than half of Black (48%) and Native Americans (47%) feel confident they have access to providers who understand their ethnic or racial background and experiences, and only about 3 in 5 Asian Americans (63%) and Hispanics (59%) likewise feel confident.
• Black Americans have less interest in clinical research trials to prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. White Americans are most likely to express interest (82%), followed by Native Americans (81%), Hispanic Americans (78%), Asian Americans (73%) and lastly, Black Americans (67%). The most common reason cited for not participating in clinical trials among all racial/ethnic groups is not wanting to be a “guinea pig.” This sentiment was especially strong among Black Americans (69%). In addition, almost half of Black Americans (45%) worry that treatments might cause sickness. They are also twice as likely as other groups to say they “don’t trust medical research.” And they are more than twice as likely as other racial or ethnic groups to say they “might not be treated fairly.”

Episodes of discrimination, however, extend beyond Alzheimer’s and dementia care, the Alzheimer’s Association surveys found that many non-White Americans say they have experienced discrimination in the broader health care system. Specifically, half of Black Americans (50%) report they’ve experienced discrimination when seeking health care; more than 4 in 10 Native Americans (42%) and one-third of Asian Americans (34%) and Hispanic Americans (33%) likewise report having experienced health care discrimination.

About 2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures 

The Alzheimer’s Association 2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report is a comprehensive compilation of national statistics and information on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The report conveys the impact of Alzheimer’s on individuals, families, government and the nation’s health care system. Since its 2007 inaugural release, the report has become the preeminent source covering the broad spectrum of Alzheimer’s issues. The Facts and Figures report is an official publication of the Alzheimer’s Association. Full text of the 2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, including the accompanying special report, “Race, Ethnicity and Alzheimer’s in America,” can be viewed at alz.org/facts.

About the Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia – by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. For more information, visit alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.