Global Alzheimer’s Epidemic Creating Shortage Of Caregivers & Lack Of Support For Family Members
Number of dependent older people to increase to 277 million by 2050, half with Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementia
The World Alzheimer Report 2013 was presented Thursday to Minister Cornelius de Weever, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour. The report is released by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) and examines the latest global and regional trends of people needing dementia care, and provides an analysis of long-term care systems around the world.
The report reveals that as the world population ages, the traditional system of "informal" care by family, friends, and community will not be sustainable. Data from the 2013 World Alzheimer’s Report predicts the number of dependent older people will rise from 101 million in 2010 to 277 million in 2050, an almost threefold increase. Nearly half of them are living with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia, quickly becoming a global health crisis.
According to ADI representative to WHO/PAHO drs Raymond Jessurun the amount of persons living with dementia today in this PAHO region is more than 8 million persons. This amount will almost double to more than 15 million in 2030 and will be 500% higher in 2050. The lower and middle income countries of Latin America and the Caribbean will register the largest amount of the growth, with related economic hardship and challenges at the family and health care systems level.
This years World Report provides a comprehensive view of the impact the disease has on society. A particular focus this year was the impact of Alzheimer’s and dementias on those who provide care. The report concluded that there is need for additional support in order to lessen the burden on the individual as well as the global infrastructure.
Professor Martin Prince, leading author of the report, comments "People with dementia have special care needs. Compared with other long-term care users they need more personal care, more hours of care, and more supervision, all of which is associated with greater caregiver strain, and higher costs. Their needs for care start early in the disease course, and evolve constantly over time, requiring advanced planning, monitoring, and coordination. That’s why dementia needs to be a public health priority and adequate planning needs to be in place so that people with dementia can live well."
ADI is calling for all governments to make dementia a priority by developing National Dementia Plans to ensure that national health and social care systems are adequately structured and funded to provide high-quality long-term care to people throughout the dementia journey.
Marc Wortmann, executive director, Alzheimer’s Disease International said: "We need to value those that provide frontline care for people with dementia. This includes paid, as well as unpaid family caregivers, who share much in common. Governments need to acknowledge the role of caregivers and ensure that there are policies in place to support them."
Sint Maarten government has already taken steps to prioritize Alzheimer Disease and other Dementia’s as part of our national development agenda, according to Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams in her Opening Remarks at the Alzheimer University Workshop held in Sint Maarten last month, and according to Minister de Weever the ministry of Public Health is writing a national dementia action plan.
Globally the current investment in research and development into dementia (including prevention, treatment, cure and care) is currently an order of magnitude lower than would be indicated given the burden and cost of the disorder, says this year’s report. It calls upon governments and research funders worldwide to transform their system of priorities, ensuring at least a tenfold increase in current levels of investment.
For more information contact:
SInt Maarten Alzheimer Foundation, Hotline 9220, alzheimersxm@gmail.com