Dementia could cost the UK almost £91 billion a year by 2040 as the number of people affected inexorably rises, a study has found.
The “colossal” cost of the disease is likely to more than double from an already “staggering” £42.5 billion today to £90.6 billion, according to research carried out for the Alzheimer’s Society.
That expected increase will occur in line with an expected increase in the number of diagnosed cases from 981,575 to 1,402,010, related to an aging and growing population.
The Alzheimer’s Society and the British Geriatrics Society (BGS), which represents doctors who specialize in caring for the elderly, say the huge cost of dementia – Britain’s biggest killer – should prompt ministers and the NHS to take urgent action actions to improve early diagnosis.
“The devastating impact of dementia is colossal – on the lives of those affected, on the healthcare system and on the economy,” said Kate Lee, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society.
The lack of rapid diagnosis is leaving families “picking up the pieces” and “facing catastrophic costs down the road”, the charity said.
The study, conducted by health policy analyst Carnall Farrar, used an examination of the health records of 26,097 dementia patients from 2017 to map the current and future costs of the disease.
“The projected increase in the prevalence of dementia poses a significant challenge across health, social care and the economy, and highlights the urgent need to prioritize it as a health and care issue,” the report concludes.
Carnall Farrar’s figures look at the full cost of dementia, such as extra heating costs, legal costs and police calls, as well as the impact on the economy from someone’s lost consumption, rather than just spending on health and social care services.
Healthcare costs will almost double by 2040, from £7.1 billion to £13.5 billion, while the cost of providing social care for people with dementia will rise even more sharply – from £17.2 billion to £ 40.7 billion. The cost of unpaid care provided by relatives and friends will rise from £21.1 billion to £40.1 billion, they calculated.
Despite the benefits of early diagnosis, only 1.4% of the disease’s total health care costs go unchecked, they noted.
The Alzheimer’s Society said that someone with mild dementia costs the UK £28,777 a year, while for someone with a severe form of the disease it is £80,499.
Paul Kemp, 57, from Kent, whose wife, Sandy, 55, has early-onset dementia, said her condition meant she was becoming “increasingly aggressive and agitated and rapidly deteriorating”.
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The two-year delay before she was diagnosed, after doctors initially thought she was suffering from depression, “felt like a painful life to wait.” “If an early and accurate diagnosis had been made, we could have accessed the right support, but we have been robbed of that precious time,” he said.
“I have had to give up work to become a full-time carer for Sandy and my mother, selling personal items to pay for care and buy essentials. I feel that no one in government understands the financial pressures that healthcare providers face.”
BGS chairman Prof Adam Gordon said not everyone wanted an early diagnosis of dementia, but that “I see the disadvantages of a late diagnosis every day.”
He said: “Every day on the ward I meet people with dementia and their families who have not had time to discuss the diagnosis, adapt the type of care or plan for the type of care they want until they are in a crisis.”
The Department of Health and Social Care did not comment directly on the charity’s findings. A spokesperson said timely diagnosis of dementia is crucial and funding for dementia research will be doubled to £160 million and included in the upcoming Serious Conditions Strategy.