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Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias

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Dementia causes serious loss of cognitive ability, including memory, communication and language, reason and judgment, and visual perception. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form, but all dementias go beyond the normal signs of aging to interfere with daily life, affecting millions of people each year. RAND experts analyze long-term care options and effectiveness, as well as how dementia impacts caregivers, society, and the economy.

Journal Article

Dementia Is More Prevalent Among Rural Seniors

Dec 20, 2017

A nationally representative study of 16,000 U.S. seniors is the first to show that dementia and cognitive impairment are more common among rural seniors than their urban peers. However, rural investments in boosting high school graduation rates have narrowed the gap.
Report

U.S. Health System Should Prepare for Future Alzheimer's Treatments

Nov 15, 2017

The U.S. health care system isn't ready to meet demand for a breakthrough Alzheimer's treatment. Results from clinical trials are producing guarded optimism that a breakthrough could arrive as early as 2020. If this happens, up to 2.1 million patients could develop Alzheimer's dementia by 2040 while on treatment and evaluation waiting lists.

Explore Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias

Q&A

Committed to Improving Health Care Policy: Q&A with Jodi Liu

Jodi Liu, an associate policy researcher at RAND, studies how to deliver high-quality care and how to pay for it. She discusses her assessment of a single-payer health care proposal in New York State and the supply-and-demand challenges that might arise if an Alzheimer's treatment became available.

Oct 23, 2018
News Release

News Release

Some European Countries Unprepared to Move Future Alzheimer's Treatment into Rapid Clinical Use

The health care systems in some European countries lack the capacity to rapidly move a disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease from approval into widespread clinical use, which could leave 1 million people without access to transformative care if such a breakthrough occurs.

Sep 30, 2018
Report

Is Europe Prepared to Deliver an Alzheimer's Treatment?

A potential therapy for early-stage Alzheimer's patients might prevent or delay the progression to dementia. An assessment of how prepared six European nations are to deliver such a therapy indicates a pressing need to address health system constraints. One million patients could develop the disease while waiting for treatment.

Sep 30, 2018
Infographic

Infographic

How Prepared Are European Health Care Systems to Deliver a Future Alzheimer's Treatment? An Assessment of Health Care Infrastructure in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and The United Kingdom

A therapy for early-stage Alzheimer's disease could be available by 2020, but millions of European patients might have to wait a year or more for initial appointments in the multistep process if health care system capacity is not increased.

Sep 30, 2018
Journal Article

Journal Article

Anemia Is Associated with Incidence of Dementia: A National Health Screening Study in Korea Involving 37,900 Persons

Anemia, especially when it is severe, is an independent risk factor for the incidence of dementia.

Jan 16, 2018
News Release

News Release

U.S. Health Care System Unprepared to Move Future Alzheimer's Treatment into Rapid Clinical Use

The U.S. health care system lacks the capacity to rapidly move a treatment for Alzheimer's disease from approval into wide clinical use, a shortcoming that could leave millions of people without access to transformative care if such a breakthrough occurs.

Nov 15, 2017
Infographic

When Alzheimer's Drugs Arrive, How Prepared Will We Be to Meet Demand? An Assessment of U.S. Health Care Infrastructure

Drugs to halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease may be available by 2020, but millions of U.S. patients might have to wait more than 14 months for initial appointments in the multistep process unless health care system capacity is increased.

Nov 15, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Future Monetary Costs of Dementia in the United States Under Alternative Dementia Prevalence Scenarios

In the present paper we modified the age-specific prevalence rates according to two scenarios.

Oct 4, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Neighborhood Age Structure and Cognitive Function in a Nationally-Representative Sample of Older Adults in the U.S.

In this nationally-representative sample of U.S. adults aged 51 and over, living in a neighborhood in the highest tertile of the percent of adults 65 and older was associated with significantly better cognitive function.

Aug 8, 2017
Brochure

Brochure

Innovating for Answers: Social and Economic Policy Research at RAND

This publication highlights recent RAND social and economic policy research projects that have produced important new policies, framed issues in new ways, balanced multiple priorities and difficult trade-offs, and prompted meaningful change.

May 31, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

How Policy Can Help Develop and Sustain Workforce Capacity in UK Dementia Research: Insights from a Career Tracking Analysis and Stakeholder Interviews

This article attempts to identify research support strategies likely to be effective for strengthening the UK's dementia research landscape and ensuring a sustainable and competitive workforce.

Sep 6, 2016
Testimony

Dementia Long-Term Care Policy Options for Family Caregivers and Medicare

The total cost of caring for people in the United States with dementia in 2010 was estimated to be between $159 billion and $215 billion. As the nation's population ages, these costs will soar. Lawmakers could consider policy changes that support family caregivers and expand Medicaid eligibility.

Jul 13, 2016
Brochure

Spotlight on 2015

RAND Europe's annual review, Spotlight on 2015, illustrates how our work helps to improve people's lives through policymaking based on objective research and rigorous analysis.

Jan 26, 2016
Journal Article

Informal Caregiving for Dementia in the U.S.

Family members play a critical role in caring for older adults with and without dementia. In 2010, 5.5 million U.S. adults age 70 and older received informal care, including 3.6 million with cognitive impairment or dementia.

Oct 20, 2015
Report

Report

A Review of the Dementia Research Landscape and Workforce Capacity in the United Kingdom

This report, commissioned by the Alzheimer's Society, aims to inform funding and capacity-building efforts in UK dementia research by examining the current research and workforce landscape, and associated strengths and gaps.

Sep 14, 2015
Report

Report

A Review of the Dementia Research Landscape and Workforce Capacity in the United Kingdom: Extended Summary

This extended summary provides an overview of the findings of a report commissioned by the Alzheimer's Society. It aims to inform funding and capacity-building efforts in UK dementia research by examining the current research and workforce landscape.

Sep 14, 2015
Periodical

Periodical

RAND Review: September-October 2015

This issue of RAND Review reports on the staggering costs of dementia in the United States; the most critical global choices and challenges the next U.S. president will likely face; tips to protect the health of kids heading back to school; and more.

Aug 21, 2015
Essay

Struggling with Dementia

The costs of dementia are staggering. A recent RAND analysis quantifies the scope of the problem in the United States and serves as a wake-up call to policymakers everywhere.

Aug 10, 2015

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RAND Topic:
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias

Topic Synonyms:
Neurocognitive Disorders