Print Only

At A Glance
Alzheimer’s Disease
Promoting Health and Independence for an Aging Population

Alzheimer’s disease, a type of

dementia, is an irreversible, progressive Fast Facts
brain disease that affects an estimated • 15% of the US population
5.7 million Americans. It is the sixth is 65 or older.
leading cause of death among all
• Adjusting for age, rates of
adults and the fifth leading cause for
Alzheimer’s disease deaths
those aged 65 or older.
increased more than 50%
The causes of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are not between 1999 and 2014.
completely understood, but researchers believe they include a Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth
combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. In more leading cause of death among
than 90% of people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms do not appear until all US adults.
after age 60. The incidence of the disease increases with age and
• Americans fear losing their
doubles every 5 years beyond age 65.
mental capabilities twice as
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leads our much as they fear losing their
nation’s public health efforts to help older adults with dementia to physical abilities.
remain active, independent, and involved in their community by:
• In 2018, total payments for
• Helping to promote awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other health care, long-term care,
dementias, including the importance of early diagnosis. and hospice for people
• Studying the societal and economic burden of dementias in states with Alzheimer’s and other
and communities. dementias are estimated to
be $277 billion.
• Supporting data collection on cognitive decline and caregiving.
• In 2018, more than 16 million
• Working to ensure that caregivers have the resources to provide Americans are providing
quality care to people with dementia. more than 18.4 billion hours
of unpaid care for family and
friends with Alzheimer’s and
Public Health Problem other dementias. The total value
Alzheimer’s disease affects mainly older adults, and the growth in the of that care is over $232 billion.
number of older adults is unprecedented. In 2016, 49 million adults
living in the United States—15% of the population—were 65 or
older. By 2060, that number is expected to climb to about 95 million,
or nearly 1 in 4 US residents. In 2018, total payments for health care,
long-term care, and hospice for people with Alzheimer’s and other
dementias are estimated to be $277 billion. Medicare pays almost half
of these costs. Unless scientists discover how to prevent Alzheimer’s
and other dementias, the number of people with these conditions,
and the costs, will increase substantially.

NATIONAL CENTER FOR

CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION
@CDCChronic | www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease
Revised June 2018
Compromised Health and Quality of Life for Adults
With Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Updated Data Portal Provides
Better Access to Aging Data
Alzheimer’s disease slowly destroys brain function, leading to
cognitive decline (e.g., memory loss, language difficulty, poor CDC’s updated Healthy Aging
executive function), behavioral and psychiatric disorders (e.g., Data Portal provides easy access
depression, delusions, agitation), and declines in functional status to CDC data on key indicators of
(e.g., ability to engage in activities of daily living and self-care). People cognitive and physical health and
with Alzheimer’s gradually lose the ability to care for themselves and well-being, caregiving, screenings
to remain independent. Twice as many Americans fear the loss of and vaccinations, and mental
mental capabilities as the loss of physical ability. health for older adults.
The Portal allows public health
Compromised Health and Quality of Life for Caregivers professionals and policy makers
to get national, regional, and state
Given longer life spans and the growing prevalence of conditions data for chronic diseases and risk
like Alzheimer’s, the need for caregivers, both informal (i.e., family factors that have a substantial
and friends) and formal (i.e., paid professionals), will likely increase impact on public health. This
significantly as the US population ages. Although caregiving may information is essential for
be rewarding, caregivers are at an increased risk of increased stress, conducting surveillance, setting
depression, unhealthy behaviors, and poor attention to their own priorities, and evaluating public
health. Caregivers of people with dementias are at even higher risk of health interventions. It can also
these problems, and they may delay their own health needs. support:
Informal or unpaid caregivers are the backbone of long-term care • Grant writing: The Portal offers
provided in people’s homes. According to 2009 data from the context and key statistics for
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), about 25% of US the health of older adults at the
adults aged 18 or older reported providing care or assistance to a national, regional, and state
person with a long-term illness or disability in the past 30 days. In 2018, levels, which can justify the
the value of this unpaid caregiver activity is an estimated $232 billion. need for proposed programs.
• Program and strategic
Projected Number of People Aged 65 or Older With Alzheimer’s planning: State and local data
Projected Number of People Age 65 and Older with Alzheimer’s Disease
Disease, by Age Group, United States, 2010–2050
by Age Group — United States, 2010 to 2050
can be used to identify areas
13.8 of need and direct resources to
the most urgent health issues.
11.6
in Millions
in Millions

8.4
People
Number ofofP eople

5.8
Number

4.7

2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Age 65-74 Age 75-84 Age 85+

Source: Created from data in Hebert LE, Weuve J, Scherr PA, Evans DA. Alzheimer disease in the
United States (2010–2050) estimated using the 2010 Census. Neurology. 2013;80(19):1778–1783.

2
CDC’s Response Healthy Brain Initiative and
The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Public Health Road Map
Promotion (NCCDPHP) works in four key areas or domains:
epidemiology and surveillance, environmental approaches, health The Healthy Brain Initiative
care system interventions, and community programs linked to clinical improves understanding of
services. This comprehensive approach supports healthy choices cognitive aging as a central part
and behaviors, makes healthier options more available, and helps of public health practice. The
Americans better manage their health. initiative creates and supports
partnerships, collects and reports
CDC works with partners—such as public health and aging services data, increases awareness of
professionals, other federal agencies, universities, and community cognitive aging, and promotes
organizations—to improve the health of older adults. the use of The Healthy Brain
With $4.5 million in FY 2018 funding, CDC’s Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative: The Public Health Road
and Healthy Aging Program supports these efforts by focusing its Map for State and National
activities in two of NCCDPHP’s four domains: epidemiology and Partnerships, 2013–2018.
surveillance and community programs linked to clinical services. The Road Map lists 35 actions to
Specifically, the program provides data and resources to practitioners promote cognitive health and
in the areas of healthy aging and Alzheimer’s disease prevention address cognitive impairment
and awareness, supports applied public health research, and helps and the needs of caregivers.
national organizations share information and tools with the aging An Interim Progress Report
population. highlights the Healthy Brain
Initiative’s accomplishments
from 2013 to 2015.
Epidemiology and Surveillance
The Road Map is currently being
Collecting Data for Action: Cognitive Decline and Caregiving
revised. New action items will
CDC works with partners and states to gather information on the be released in 2018, with an
prevalence of cognitive decline and caregiving among adults, through emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease
BRFSS surveys. In 2015 and 2016, a total of 51 states and territories diagnosis, diagnosis disclosure,
risk reduction, and caregiving.

Healthy Brain Research Network CDC’s funded partners, the

Alzheimer’s Association and The
The Healthy Brain Research Network, a thematic network of Balm in Gilead, work to accomplish
CDC’s Prevention Research Centers Program, was started in 2014 the Road Map’s action items.
to train future professionals and study cognitive health. These The Alzheimer’s Association
efforts support implementation of the Road Map. tracks cognitive decline and
University of Washington caregiving and helps state
(Coordinating Center) University of Illinois University of public health agencies develop
at Chicago Pennsylvania
Alzheimer’s plans. The Balm in
Oregon Health &
Science University Gilead trains African American
health professionals to recognize
the signs and symptoms of
Alzheimer’s and raises awareness
of the disease through faith-based
communities.
University of
University of Arizona South Carolina

3
added BRFSS questions about subjective cognitive decline to their
surveys, and a total of 40 states and territories added questions about Future Directions
caregiving. States use this information to develop state plans, increase
awareness about the needs of these populations, and guide elder CDC will continue to:
justice and emergency preparedness efforts for older adults. State • Develop innovative tools and
activities have resulted in the following accomplishments: reports to improve access to
• Missouri used cognitive decline and caregiver data to help build data and share findings about
the Seniors Count campaign to increase local services for seniors. cognitive decline and its
The state also used the data in presentations to local public health consequences, the prevalence
agencies, webinars for state employees and public health staff, and characteristics of
and other educational programs to improve awareness and early caregivers and care recipients,
detection of cognitive decline. and the physical and mental
health of older Americans.
• Louisiana used cognitive decline data to discuss Alzheimer’s and
related dementias with insurers. • Support efforts to increase
awareness about Alzheimer’s
• Oregon used cognitive decline and caregiver data to get dementia and other dementias.
included as a topic for Oregon’s Healthy Aging Summit, a part of
the state’s Healthy Aging Initiative. • Track progress toward Healthy
People 2020 objectives for
• Hawaii used cognitive decline data to develop Hawaii 2025: State dementia and older adults.
Plan on Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias.
• Work with partners to develop
Tracking Progress on Healthy People 2020 and share strategies that help
older adults with a cognitive
CDC co-chairs the Healthy People 2020 topic area and objectives impairment remain active,
on Dementias, Including Alzheimer’s Disease and has worked with independent, and involved in
several researchers to collect and analyze data for these objectives, their community.
which include increasing diagnosis and awareness and reducing
preventable hospitalizations. CDC’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy
Aging Program and National Center for Health Statistics worked with
the National Institute on Aging to add cognitive health measures to
the baseline information collected for Healthy People 2020.

Community Programs Linked to Clinical Services

REACH OUT to Caregivers
REACH OUT is a training intervention for caregivers of people with
Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Caregivers who participated
in REACH OUT had improved health and less depression after
the training. The people they cared for were less likely to be left
unsupervised, wander, or have access to dangerous objects.
Implementing a Community-Based Program for Dementia Caregivers:
An Action Guide using REACH OUT expands REACH OUT’s effectiveness
by providing examples, tips, resources, websites, and references to For more information, contact
help communities use the intervention. This guide offers a step- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention
by-step process for implementing REACH OUT in different kinds
and Health Promotion
of communities without losing the integrity of its design. Much of Division of Population Health, Alzheimer’s Disease
what appears in the guide can be applied to other evidence-based and Healthy Aging Program
programs and is intended to expand interventions for caregivers and 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636); TTY: 1-888-232-6348
Contact CDC-Info
promote their adoption into widespread practice.
4