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Expenditures in caring for patients with dementia who live at home
M Weinberger1, D T Gold, G W Divine
1Center for Health Services Research, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, NC.
Objectives:
Given the national interest in progressive dementia, we estimated expenditures incurred in caring for dementia patients who live at home.
Methods:
Primary caregivers of 264 patients from a university-based memory disorders clinic were interviewed at baseline and asked to keep service use diaries for 6 months; 141 caregivers who returned the diaries are the focus of this report. We examined both formal and informal services (distinguished by whether money was exchanged) and associated expenditures.
Results:
Neither caregivers returning diaries nor their patients differed at baseline from those not returning diaries and their patients. Expenditures incurred over 6 months were extensive for both formal ($6986) and informal ($786) services. Out-of-pocket expenditures were high (e.g., in-home companion or sitter, adult day care, visiting nurse). Multivariable analyses indicated that patients with more severe symptoms of dementia and families with higher incomes reported significantly higher expenditures.
Conclusions:
The expense of caring for patients with progressive dementia living at home may be higher than previously estimated and frequently involves expenses paid directly by patients and their families.