THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE CARE

This study examines total formal and informal care costs attributable to Alzheimer's disease for persons living in the community and in inst itutions. The total cost of caring for an Alzheimer's patient in north ern California is approximately $47,000 per year whether the patient l ives at home or in a nursing home, but the cost breakdown differs in t he two settings. For community-resident patients, three-fourths of the total cost represents an imputed value for unpaid informal care compa red with 12 percent for institutionalized patients. Formal services ar e financed primarily by individuals and their families. Over 60 percen t of the services provided to patients in either care setting were pai d out of pocket. With projected increases in the number of persons at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, the economic impact of the dis ease on future long-term care costs will be significant.