19.3 billion euros per year: this is what the Alzheimer’s disease according to a report published by the Médéric Alzheimer Foundation. Medical procedures alone represent 5.3 billion per year. This amount includes both the establishment of the diagnosis, drug treatments, home care and the management of patients in the various health establishments (hospitals and clinics). More than half of this budget (53%) is allocated to hospitalizations in medicine and surgery, while almost a third (27%) is devoted to liberal paramedical care in town such as nursing, speech therapists, psychologists or even physiotherapists.
Hospitalizations are mainly due to complications of the disease because it leads to lack of autonomy which can lead to falls, behavioral problems, depression but also malnutrition. “Thus, Alzheimer’s disease is a costly disease essentially for the care required by the complications it generates, whether in nursing homes, health establishments or at home.“explains the Médéric Alzheimer Foundation in a press release.
Medico-social costs largely underestimated
In addition to these costs, there is also the informal help provided by the patient’s relatives, which is estimated at 14 billion euros per year and which corresponds to daily support (help with washing, dressing, cleaning and managing from the budget). At the same time, the medico-social costs linked to day care and accommodation would reach more than 9 billion euros. This figure estimated in 2004 would be much higher today, given the many measures put in place by the Neurodegenerative disease plans supported by the Ministry of Health and aimed at improving the diagnosis, care and quality of life of patients.
Alzheimer’s disease affects 850,000 people in France and is currently still incurable. The loss of autonomy linked to this pathology requires complete care of patients by specialists.
