My Mother’s Keepers

Startling statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association:

Impact on Caregivers

In 2013, 15.5 million family and friends provided 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care to those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias – care valued at $220.2 billion, which is nearly eight times the total revenue of McDonald’s in 2012.

More than 60 percent of Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers are women.

All caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s – both women and men – face a devastating toll. Due to the physical and emotional burden of caregiving, Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers had $9.3 billion in additional health care costs of their own in 2013. Nearly 60 percent of Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers rate the emotional stress of caregiving as high or very high, and more than one-third report symptoms of depression. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_facts_and_figures.asp#impact

After reading the opinion piece, “My Mother’s Keepers,” in the April 13 edition of the New York Times, I realized I’m not alone. What about you? If you think you are alone go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/opinion/sunday/my-mothers-keepers.html?emc=edit_th_20140413&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=65830396