The Alzheimer’s Association released its annual Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, and there is a big takeaway: the burden being placed on caregivers is growing.
Now 6.7 million Americans over 65 years old have Alzheimer’s disease. They are being tended to by 11 million family caregivers. The report shows that the responsibility of being a caregiver for a loved one is taking its toll.
Nationally, 38% of unpaid caregivers report physical stress; 44% report anxiety, and 59% report emotional stress.
A West Hartford family understands the situation laid out in the annual report.
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“This is when we were dating. We were really in love!” Evelin Miranda said, showing a photo of herself as a teenager and her then-boyfriend Eduardo.
Now through 47 years of marriage, Evelin has known her husband as a young man, a priest, a substance use counselor, and a dad.
“That was a photo of their marriage or their wedding day, and this was the photograph of this year for their anniversary. The same gazebo in Elizabeth Park,” Miguel Miranda, Evelin and Eduardo’s son, said.
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Today the family stands by Eduardo, as he faces a tough battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
“I'm going to be honest, when I heard the results, I just felt like something in my throat,” Evelin Miranda said. “And I said no, we're going to do this together. With this journey, we're going to go by it day by day.”
Eduardo knows what is getting him through.
“The family,” he said.
His wife and three sons have stepped in as caregivers.
“Just being there for him because he was there for us. Since we're young, he gave us pretty much our life, you know, everything we have today,” Miguel Miranda said.
It’s a job they did not hesitate to take on.
“The daily basis is making sure that he's safe,” Evelin Miranda said.
Yet it’s a job that comes with huge responsibility.
“A lot of financial responsibilities from rent to electricity, gas, water bills, groceries, you name it, everything,” Miguel Miranda said. “It puts a lot of things on hold.”
It also takes an emotional toll.
“Sometimes I feel like I'm overwhelmed,” Evelin Miranda said. “It's always like the same thing over and over again, every single day. But I try to just remind myself, just take some deep breaths.”
The Miranda family is not alone in their circumstances.
In Connecticut, 80,000 people were living with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2020. The number is expected to jump to 91,000 by 2025, according to the Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report for 2023.
The state had 128,000 family caregivers last year, providing $4.2 billion in unpaid care.
The Alzheimer’s Association’s annual report also finds that the anxiety, physical, and emotional stress that dementia caregivers are reporting across the country is reflected in Connecticut.
In Connecticut, 28% of caregivers reported depression, and 9% reported frequent poor physical health.
On top of that, the report notes that shortages in the dementia care workforces are only increasing the burden on family caregivers.
In 2020, Connecticut had 44,000 direct health care workers. By 2030, the state will need 54,000 to meet the demand of the aging population, according to the annual report. That is a 20% increase.
“Taking care of somebody who has Alzheimer's or another dementia is really all consuming,” Christy Kovel, Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter Director of Public Policy, said.
Kovel says the Alzheimer’s Association is pushing for increased education for all, including professional caregivers, and required dementia training for agency staff.
“We know that they need proper training. So we definitely provide dementia care training for the direct care workforce,” Kovel said.
She emphasizes that family caregivers are not alone.
“Caregivers really need to reach out and get support,” Kovel said.“It can be support for early stage, if they're if somebody's in the early stage of the disease, or getting support in a support group. So caregivers can connect with other caregivers.”
The Mirandas take advantage of those support networks. Evelin meets in with a support group every month.
They also attend local events catered specifically to people in the early stages disease hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association, like a Connecticut Whale Alzheimer’s Awareness game last month.
“Connecticut Whale hockey puck. It was given to Eddie,” Evelin Miranda said. “He was so into it, to see them playing.”
The Mirandas cherish days like that one; a recent trip to Puerto Rico; and the time Eduardo spends with his grandchildren.
“Building memories, that's something we really have to continue to focus on,” Miguel Miranda said.
Those moments, now invaluable to this family.
“I just want to make create memories, and live day by day and one day at a time,” Evelin Miranda said.
The Alzheimer’s Association has a 24-7 helpline for any caregivers that need support: 1-800-272-3900.
