Report: NJ Alzheimer’s patients will reach 210,000 by 2025

Doctors and the American public both face challenges in understanding and diagnosing mild cognitive impairment, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2022 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report released on March 15.

MCI is characterized by subtle changes in memory and thinking, and it is estimated that 10% to 15% of individuals with MCI go on to develop dementia each year. As the U.S. population ages and the number of folks 65 and older grows from 58 million in 2021 to 88 million by 2050, the number and proportion of Americans with Alzheimer’s or other dementias will also grow.

The 2022 Facts and Figures report, released by the nonprofit whose Greater New Jersey Chapter is located in Florham Park, provides an in-depth look at national statistics on Alzheimer’s disease prevalence, incidence, mortality, costs of care and impact on caregivers.

In New Jersey alone, there are 190,000 adults 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s. By 2025, that number is expected to rise to 210,000. The statewide deaths from the disease in 2019 totaled 2,629.

Caring for these folks are 361,000 unpaid family caregivers offering up 686,000,000 hours of unpaid care valued at $13.04 billion.

“The new Facts and Figures report clearly outlines the burden that many New Jersey families are going through. At the Alzheimer’s Association, our mission is clear — we must continue to support all those affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia with our local care and support services and continue to fund critical research,” said Alzheimer’s Association Greater New Jersey Chapter Executive Director Cheryl Ricci-Francione.

Not just ‘normal aging’

An accompanying report called “More than Normal Aging: Understanding Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)” examined both public and primary care physicians’ understanding of real-world awareness, diagnosis and treatment of MCI and MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease across the country.

“Mild cognitive impairment is often confused with ‘normal aging,’ but is not part of the typical aging process,” said Maria Carrillo, chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Association. “Distinguishing between cognitive issues resulting from normal aging, those associated with MCI and those related to MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease is critical in helping individuals, their families and physicians prepare for future treatment and care.”

Approximately 12% to 18% of people 60 and older have MCI. Between 10% and 15% of individuals with MCI go on to develop dementia each year; and about one-third of people with MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease develop Alzheimer’s dementia within five years. Identifying who with MCI is more likely to develop dementia is a major goal of current research, and could enable earlier disease intervention and treatment.

The new report found more than 4 in 5 Americans (82%) know very little or are not familiar with MCI. More than half (55%) say MCI sounds like “normal aging.”

When MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease is described, almost half of respondents (42%) express worry about developing it in the future. A majority (85%) would want to learn about Alzheimer’s disease early in its development, either during the MCI phase (54%) or mild dementia stage (31%).

Additional findings of the report highlight why individuals exhibiting MCI symptoms are reluctant to discuss them with their doctors. Just 40% of respondents said they would see a doctor right away if they experienced MCI symptoms, while 60% would wait or not see a doctor at all. About 8 in 10 respondents (78%) had concerns about seeing a doctor for symptoms of MCI, citing reasons such as fear of receiving an incorrect diagnosis (28%); learning they have a serious problem (27%); fear of receiving an unnecessary treatment (26%); or believing symptoms will resolve in time (23%).

Three in four primary care physicians responded that they’re on the front lines of providing care for MCI patients; however, just two-thirds feel comfortable answering patient questions related to MCI and/or discussing how MCI may be related to Alzheimer’s disease.

“Understanding and recognizing mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease is important because it provides an earlier opportunity to intervene in the Alzheimer’s disease continuum,” Carrillo said. “While currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, intervening earlier offers an opportunity to better manage the disease and to potentially slow progression during a time when individuals are functioning independently and maintaining a good quality of life.”

Of survey respondents who wanted to learn about Alzheimer’s disease during the MCI phase, 7 in 10 noted the need for planning and opportunities for treatment. Early diagnosis gives families time to make legal, financial and care decisions for the future, based on a patient’s concerns and priorities, and is associated with lower overall health care costs.

However, just 1 in 5 primary care doctors report that they’re familiar with clinical trials available to their patients with MCI, and only 1 in 4 said they’re familiar with new therapies in the pipeline to address MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease.

“There is more work to be done when it comes to expanding primary care physicians’ readiness to diagnose cognitive impairment, including MCI and MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease, particularly as diagnostic advancements are being made,” said Morgan Daven, vice president, health systems, Alzheimer’s Association. “This includes primary care physicians’ awareness of new potential treatments and patient participation in Alzheimer’s disease-related clinical trials and research.”