One in three elderly have dementia when they die

USA TODAY:  A new report showing one in three older adults dies with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is raising concerns about the disease’s “pervasive” scope and the spiraling costs of care, the authors say.

Deaths from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia have increased 68% from 2000 to 2010, according to the report being released today by the Alzheimer’s Association, an advocacy group. Meanwhile, deaths from heart disease, HIV/AIDS and stroke have declined. The numbers are taken from Medicare and Medicaid reports…

The report says death certificates often list acute conditions such as pneumonia as the cause of death rather than Alzheimer’s, so the number of deaths primarily due to Alzheimer’s might be even higher than reported…   (more)

Share