Alzheimer’s Disease Caregivers Struggle Under Financial Strain
"You can be pretty financially robust and not have enough money to care for someone with this disease," says Ruth Gay, the Alzheimer's Association's director of public policy and advocacy. In other news, a study reveals that few older adults talk about memory problems with their doctors, and higher-than-expected death rates among middle-age white men worry researchers.
The San Jose Mercury News:
Options Limited For California Caregivers Shouldering Burden Of Growing Alzheimer's Crisis
[Patt] Martin was among the 15.7 million Americans who contributed an estimated 17.9 billion unpaid hours to caring for people with Alzheimer's in 2014, according to the Alzheimer's Association. The organization says that 41 percent of those caregivers had a household income of less than $50,000, and 17 percent had to give up their jobs. Faced with physical, emotional and economic hardships, 40 percent of caregivers reported bouts of depression, the association says. (Wessel, 1/28)
KPCC:
Few Discuss Memory Problems During Checkups, Study Finds
Routine medical checkups provide an ideal setting for older adults to discuss memory problems with their doctors, yet many avoid such conversations, according to a new study. Using survey data from 10,276 adults aged 45 and older who reported memory loss or confusion in the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), researchers found that only one in four discussed their cognitive difficulties with health professionals. That was true, the study found, even when the issues were serious enough to affect the tasks of daily life. (O'Neill, 1/28)
The Los Angeles Times:
Researchers Find Causes For Higher Death Rates Among Middle-Aged Whites
Higher-than-expected death rates among middle-aged white Americans are largely being driven by stagnant progress against heart disease and other common illnesses, according to new research into a crisis that is increasingly worrying healthcare officials and policymakers. (Levey, 1/29)