AARP

• Nonprofit

• Nonpartisan

• 37 million members

• Helps people age 50 plus turn their goals and

dreams into real possibilities

• Fights for issues that matter most to families

such as health care, employment security and

retirement planning.

9

A. Update on Legislative efforts on caregiving.

B. Why is caregiver policy moving forward now?

C. What are the Advocacy Asks?

Ask your member of Congress to:

Join the ACT Caucus

Co-sponsor the RAISE ACT

10

ANSWERS TO WHY NOW

1. We are facing a caregiving demographic crisis

11

12

The Caregiver Support Ratio

13

ANSWERS TO WHY NOW

2. Caregivers Can Help Shrink the Growing Cost of Care

The Caregiving Numbers

• 40 million caregivers for adults (2013)

• Provide unpaid care valued at $470 billion

• More than total Medicaid spending

• Family caregivers 50+ lose on average

$304,000 in wages and benefits over their

lifetime when they leave the workforce to care

for a parent

Why support caregivers?

• Family caregivers are the backbone of services

and supports in this county

• Caregivers enable people to live independently

in their homes and communities

• Caregivers help to delay or prevent more

costly institutional services and unnecessary

hospitalizations saving taxpayer dollars.

Who needs caregivers?

• @ 12 million people need LTSS today

• By 2050 # expected to more than double

• ½ who receive LTSS are under age 65

• At least 52% of people 65 and older will need

LTSS at some point in their lives

• People with cognitive impairment in particular

17

ANSWERS TO WHY NOW

3. Increasing Incidence of Dementia in Aging Population means

we will need more caregivers in the future

Greatest Risk Factor for Dementia

• increasing age, followed by family history

• incidence of AD approximately doubles every 5 years after the age of 65

• Approximately 50% of individuals 85+ have some form of dementia

Because we expect our 65 plus population to double by 2050, so to will the incidence of people living with dementia.

The Dementia Numbers

• 5.3 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease in US (AA 2015).

• Caregivers provided an 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care to people living with dementia in US (2013)

• By 2050 13.8 million people with dementia (AA 2015).

• World-wide 46.8 million, and by 2050 131.5 million (ADI 2015).

Cost of Care

• Out of pocket spending for individuals in US with dementias is $44 billion.

• Currently, average per person Medicare spending for people 65+ with dementia 3 x higher than for seniors without dementia.

• Medicaid payments are 19 times higher. Almost 65 % of all nursing home residents have moderate to severe cognitive impairment.

Cost Projections are Unsustainable

• In 2015, the direct annual costs of caring for those with dementia in US is estimated to be $226 billion, but by 2050, the projected cost will be over $1.1 trillion a year.

• Globally its $605 billion, 1% of GDP. (AA)

• Caregivers for those living with dementia have an additional $9.7 billion in health care costs of their own.

• By 2040 the cost of caring for those with Alzheimer’s will constitute 24.2% of Medicare’s spending (Lewin Group).

SUPPORTING CAREGIVERS

FOR THOSE WITH DEMENTIA

Means we have to support early diagnosis and detection

23

23

More than seven in ten (71%) of the 50+ think a mental functioning

assessment during an annual preventative exam is very important.

71%

23%

3% 2%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Very important Somewhatimportant

Not veryimportant

Not at allimportant

24

Almost eight in ten Americans 50+ would be at least somewhat likely to take

a test predicting future Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, if it was available.

47%

31%

10% 11%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Very likely Somewhat likely Not too likely Not at all likely

97% of the 50+ would

want to be told if their

doctor believed they

had Alzheimer’s

disease or another

form of dementia

78%

25

80%

20%

42% 38%

15%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Doctordidn't

speak tome

Doctorspoke to

me

Me Doctor Familymember

Who brought up the

conversation about the signs of

dementia?

Most doctors are not talking to their patients about the signs of dementia.

Among the 50+ whose doctors have spoken to them, over four in ten say

they brought up the conversation themselves.

26

People 50+ have various reasons why they might not go to their

healthcare provider to determine if they have dementia.

14% 17%

49%

20% 17% 22% 20%

28% 29% 38%

26% 25% 22% 20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Major Reason Minor Reason

Of Benefits to Early Screening for Cognitive

Impairment – 3 relate to caregivers • If negative: Concerns may be alleviated.

• If positive and further evaluation is warranted: can take next steps to identify causes and possible fixes (i.e. medication side effects, metabolic and/or endocrine imbalance, delirium, depression, Alzheimer’s disease).

• Treating the underlying disease or health condition

• Managing comorbid conditions more effectively

• Averting or addressing potential safety issues

• Allowing the patient to create or update advance directives and plan long-term care [which will usually involve a caregiver]

• Ensuring the patient has a caregiver or someone to help with medical, legal, and financial concerns

• Ensuring the caregiver receives appropriate information and referrals

• Encouraging participation in clinical research

Nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/assesing-cognitve-impairment-older-patients

28

AARP Efforts to Reduce Risk re: Cognitive Aging

• Global Council on Brain Health

• Staying Sharp Subscription

• Integrating Age Friendly with Dementia Friendly

Communities

• Formulating policy and advocacy around cognitive aging

that addresses the spectrum from normal to disease

• Research and surveys

• Partnering with others interested in a Public Health

approach

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

AARP.ORG/CAREGIVING

AARP.ORG/HEALTH

GLOBALCOUNCILONBRAIN

HEALTH.ORG

slock@aarp.org

30