Health Matters with Dr. David: Alzheimer's Arkansas
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: January 16, 2013
According to the Alzheimer's Association currently over 15 million Americans provide unpaid care for a person with Alzheimer's or other dementias.
As the baby boomers age and the number of 80 year olds double, the burden on families, communities and our nation will be overwhelming.
The need to be a caregiver have forced over 65 percent to take time off work, 20 percent to take a leave of absence, and 11 percent to retire.
Over 60 percent of caregivers say that the emotional and physical stress of care-giving is overwhelming.
Compared to non-caregivers the risk of illness and death is 8 fold higher and if the caregiver is a spouse, their life expectancy is often shorter than that of their cognitively impaired loved one.
