This blog falls into the “Denial is not just a river in Egypt” category.

Thanks to Dr. Robert Roush of The Huffington Center for Aging for giving me the link to www.longlivetexans.com/index.php/site/facts-figures. All quotes in this blog come from this link.

• “​In Texas, 340,000 individuals are now living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and that number is projected to increase to 470,000 by 2025.”

• “Nationally, Texas ranks third in the number of AD cases and second in the number of AD deaths.” 

Currently, the link shows, the incidence of AD for those ages 85 and higher, is 50%.

• “Moreover, Texas ranks second nationally in the amount of uncompensated care provided by caregivers. By year end (2012), the direct and indirect costs of AD and other dementias are projected to exceed $200 billion, nationally.”

It’s unpaid long-term care that can kill. Much, if not most care in the US is provided by family and friends, on an unpaid basis and often at huge physical, emotional, and financial sacrifice to people and families. Unpaid care is not calculated in the Gross Domestic Product. I can find studies proving that unpaid caregivers die before the people they’re caring for with increased frequency. Unpaid caregivers also lose their health with greater frequency than the general population does.

• “The incidence of AD is rapidly increasing.  This will have significant economic and human ramifications on our society.  While other causes of death have been declining in recent years, deaths due to AD have been rising.  Between 2000 and 2008, deaths due to heart disease, stroke, and prostate cancer declined by 13 percent, 20 percent, and 8 percent, respectively, whereas deaths attributable to AD increased by 66 percent.^10″

A chart you can click on from www.longlivetexans.com/index.php/site/facts-figures is called, “Projected Changes Between 2000 and 2025 in Alzheimer’s Prevalence by State”. It indicates that between 2000 and 2025, the prevalence of AD in TX may increase by as much as 81%.

According to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) 2012-2013 Sourcebook, Alzheimer’s Disease is the leading cause of long-term care insurance (LTCi) claims at ages 65 and higher. In addition, the AALTCI also says Alzheimer’s LTCi claims are by far the longest duration and most expensive claims paid by LTCi.

Why would anyone not want to have a level-headed conversation about the need for responsible, affordable long-term care planning way in advance of a health decline, when LTCi premiums are still reasonable? Beats me.