Skip to content

Surgery Door
Search our Site
Tip: Try using OR to broaden your
search e.g: Cartilage or joints
.

Press release for World Alzheimer’s Day

New report highlights high fnancial and social burden of Alzheimer's disease

A new report from the Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, the Institute of Psychiatry, released for World Alzheimer’s Day (21 September), has estimated that the true cost of caring for people in the UK with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a staggering £7 to £14 billion per year. Compared to similar studies on the cost of caring for heart disease and stroke, AD places an exceptionally heavy burden on the state and on carers.

 One of the reasons for this finding is that, for the first time in recent years, the study has taken into account the true cost of input from ‘informal’ carers – family and friends who may be ill-equipped to fulfil such a role. The researchers used a modest cost per hour of £9.39 for informal carers (the cost of employing a home care worker). On average, people with Alzheimer’s disease live eight years after diagnosis, so the burden of care for this disease can be long-term.

One other key finding of this report, which was commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, is the large disparity between low level of research funding for AD compared with other diseases. Research funding on AD is only 60% of the amount spent on stroke, less than 10% of the amount spent on heart disease, and only 3% of the amount spent on cancer.

Author, Professor Martin Knapp, stated:  

“Our study reveals that AD has a major economic impact on the health service, local authorities, other public sector bodies, charities, families and sufferers themselves. The true extent of this impact is not widely appreciated. “He continued: “It is obvious, given the results of this study (and others) that research into AD is extraordinarily under-funded. Perhaps it is time to give a higher priority to funding research on AD.”

Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive, Alzheimer’s Research Trust comments:

“The Trust is so far committed to investing over £3 million pounds in the UK’s AD research programme. There are startling new developments in drug research, which indicate that present and future drug therapies may be capable of delaying the onset of the most demanding symptoms of AD – and so help reduce the cost of care for people with AD. In October this year, the Trust will be giving half a million pounds to fund a five year research project, based in London at the Institute of Psychiatry, which is aiming to find a simple diagnostic test for AD. This is an exciting development and represents a step forward in the progress to finding a treatment or prevention for this terrible disease.”

To coincide with World Alzheimer’s Day, the Alzheimer’s Research Trust is also launching issue 3 of its free Alzheimer’s Facts information sheets. Alzheimer’s Facts is designed to provide the general public with a reliable, and balanced summary of the current scientific and medical information about AD. This information sheet is available by writing to: Alzheimer’s Facts 3, Alzheimer’s Research Trust, GJ Livanos House, Granham’s Road, Cambridge CB2 5LQ. Please enclose a large self-addressed envelope, stamped to the value of 41p.

Further information on AD, including the latest research into this area can be found on the Alzheimer’s Research Trust new website www.alzheimers-research.co.uk.

Donations to the Alzheimer’s Research Trust can be made by cheque made payable to the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, and sent to GJ Livanos House, Granhams Road, Cambridge, CB2 5LQ. Donations by credit card or CAF charity card can be made by phoning 01223 843899.

We are indebted to the Alzheimer's Research Trust for providing the content for this section