Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

This study presents detailed estimates of the hours and cost of informal care provided to Alzheimer's disease patients in Northern California. Data were collected over 12 months from 93 community-residing patients and their caregivers and from 94 institutionalized patients and their caregivers. Patients residing in the community received an average of 286 hours per month of unpaid care, whereas institutionalized patients received 36 hours per month. Alternative methods of imputing informal costs are described. The annual value of informal care (in 1990 dollars) is $34,517 for the noninstitutionalized sample and $5,542 for the institutionalized sample. The determinants of informal caregiving were examined and compared in the two settings. The more cognitively impaired the individual, the higher the informal costs no matter what the residential setting. In an institutional setting, the younger the patient and caregiver, the higher the costs. If a caregiver is not a spouse, higher informal care costs were also found.

Comparison of Informal Care Time and Costs in Different Age-Related Dementias: A Review

“…Fifteen studies focused on AD, among them, 8 were carried out in Europe [13–20], 4 in North America [21–24], 2 in Asia [25, 26], and 1 in South America [27]. Five studies focused on PD, among them, 3 were carried out in Europe [28–30], 1 in North America [31], and 1 in Asia [32].…”

“…In 19 studies, sample size varied from 42 to 948 [13–20, 22–32] and two studies did not specify the number of patients included [21, 33]. Studies focused on PD, included patient, between 63.60 and 71.77 years [28–32], and studies focused on AD selected patients between 65.95 and 81.50 years [13–21, 24–27]. Study on VD did not specify the average of patients' age [33].…”

“…Three studies used the diary method to gather time spent on informal care [21, 22, 26]. Among them, two studies recorded data through a calendar and caregivers were asked to report time spent by themselves and other caregivers on caregiving tasks and only regarding Alzheimer disease [21, 22].…”

“…Among them, two studies recorded data through a calendar and caregivers were asked to report time spent by themselves and other caregivers on caregiving tasks and only regarding Alzheimer disease [21, 22]. This data were collected through 12 monthly interviews.…”

“…Three studies used the replacement cost and the opportunity cost approaches to value informal care time [21, 22, 31]. Two studies used the replacement cost approach as the mean hourly wage rate of 4 at home workers as nurse, housekeeping, bookkeeping, and outdoor maintenance, to value informal care time, to value time spent by caregiver considered as family and friends and the opportunity cost approach as the mean hourly salary of other visitors than family and friends (e.g., clergy, teachers) [21, 22].…”