with Dr. Mike Magee Alzheimer’s And Caregivers: The Hidden Tragedy @ by Mike Magee, MD (NAPSA)—The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, the brain dis- ease that destroys and steals away our loved ones, right before our eyes, is on the steep rise. Nearly 5 million Americans have the disease now, and the numbers will double in the next 25 years, with an annual cost to our government of $82 billion per year. That’s tragic, but it’s only part of the story. Here’s what you don’t see: The majority of Alzheimer’s patients are cared for by loving family mem- bers, who often becomeclinically depressed, financially devastated or seriously ill as a result. These family Mike Magee, MD caregivers, struggling to hold it all together, have very little support. In one study, 43 percent were clinically depressed and nearly 20 percent were on medication for depression or anxiety. The indirect cost, in lost worker time and productivity for family membersof Alzheimer’s patients, is expected to top $60 billion this year. More thanhalf of these family members spend an average of 46 hours per week caring for loved ones. It’s not surprising that 48 percent of family caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients decrease regu- lar work hours and 18 percent resign their jobs completely. What can be done? Forstarters, there’s no safety net in this country for caregivers, and we need one. Our public and private health care leaders should focus on five key areas of Alzheimer’s care: Communication techniques Pain control * Oversight of wandering behavior Counseling and positive support for caregivers Team-based approaches that extend into the homesetting Unpaid family caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients spare our government the direct expense of institutionalization. But let’s not fool ourselves: Family care giving can come with a painfulcost. Caregivers often put their jobs on hold and their lives on theline. The least we can do is lend them a hand. Mike Magee, MD, is a Senior Fellow in the Humanities to the World Medical Association, direc- tor of the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative and host of the weekly Web cast “s with Dr. Mike Magee.” For more information on Alzheimer’s disease, or to receive a free weekly health report from Dr. Magee, visit the Web site at wuww.HealthPolitics.com.
