People with dementia experience significantly higher costs of care compared to those without dementia, and the burden of those costs falls disproportionately on persons diagnosed and their families, according to a recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded study.

Published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, the study emphasizes the severity of economic burden shouldered by individuals and families facing dementia. More so, the study suggests costs of care are higher for families whose loved ones live in the community than for those living in a continuing care facility.

The research supports the findings of a previous National Institute on Aging study that points to the gaps in paid caregiving services for community-dwelling adults with dementia, highlighting the need to make such services more accessible.

For those facing FTD, the disorder can extract a heavy financial burden both before and after diagnosis. The costs associated with FTD care appear to be greater than those reported for Alzheimer’s disease, and can extract a substantial social toll as well, according to an economic burden study funded and co-written by AFTD. Published in 2017, the study suggests the age of diagnosis, which typically occurs during the peak of a person’s career or earning years, as a potential factor in the increased burden of care.

To read more about the NIH research, click here.