Approximately 44 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia. In the United States, an estimated 5.5 million people have Alzheimer’s. Of these, around 5.3 million people are 65 years and older, and your chances of developing the disease double every five years beyond the age of 65. Around 200,000 are younger and have early-onset Alzheimer’s, according to Alzheimer’s News Today.

There is a rapid growth in the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and every person that has Alzheimer’s eventually requires 24/7 care. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s can be immensely stressful.

Knowing that Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S., killing more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined, adds even more stress to caregivers because there is no cure. It is estimated that one to four family members act as caregivers for each individual with the disease. In 2016, 15.9 million family and friends provided 18.2 billion hours of unpaid assistance to those suffering from Alzheimer’s, valued at $230.1 billion.

About 35% of caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia report that their own health has gotten worse due to their care responsibilities. The Women’s Resource Center understands the significance of these statistics which can cause a tremendous amount of pain and stress. We’re here for you, your family, and your friends.

Know that you’re not alone and join us every second Thursday at our Manatee Center for our Alzheimer’s Support Group from 2:30-3:30pm. Please call (941) 747-6797 for questions/more information.