The Alzheimer’s Association recently released a report that attempt to quantify the financial and personal burden of Alzheimer’s care.
… [M]edicare payments alone are almost three times higher for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia than for others age 65 and over; Medicaid payments alone are more than nine times higher.
“With the country facing unprecedented economic challenges and a rapidly aging baby boomer population, now is the time to address the burgeoning Alzheimer crisis that triples healthcare costs for Americans age 65 and over,” said Harry Johns, Alzheimer’s Association CEO.
“It is widely understood that addressing health care is key to the country regaining its financial footing,” continued Johns. “And there is no way this can be done without improving Medicare and Medicaid which Alzheimer’s directly impacts…”
The report of the Alzheimer’s Association assumes that the enormous cost of Alzheimer’s care is a morally necessary burden, but it’s far from clear that the assumption is justified. The report ignores the most fundamental question: Is Alzheimer’s care a waste of money?
The report is quite clear on the financial burden to taxpayers and insurance companies, and the personal burden on caregivers. Alzheimer’s boosts the total cost of healthcare for the elderly from $10, 603 to $33,007 per year, each and every year. As the above excerpt from the report indicates, taxpayers bear the bulk of that increase.
The personal toll is equally high:
… According to Facts and Figures, in 2008, nearly 10 million Alzheimer caregivers in the U.S. provided 8.5 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $94 billion. In addition to the unpaid care families contribute, the report also reveals that Alzheimer’s creates high out-of-pocket health and long-term care expenses for families.
Alzheimer’s care doesn’t simply cost more. In a healthcare system that cannot afford to provide care for all its citizens, Alzheimer’s care diverts massive amounts of resources away from caring for the young and curable toward caring for the elderly and incurable. As a matter of justice, such a diversion cannot be defended. Every individual deserves the opportunity of a healthy childhood, and, indeed, Alzheimer’s patients have by definition already survived childhood. The moral claim of children carries far more weight than that of the elderly who have already lived a complete life.
I’m hardly the first person to raise this question. As I wrote last fall, British medical ethicist Baroness Warnock, noted for her willingness to address controversial issues stated in an interview in the TimesOnline:
“If you’re demented, you’re wasting people’s lives – your family’s lives – and you’re wasting the resources of the National Health Service,” she said…
No one could accuse her of being reticent. The Baroness elaborates:
“With 700,000 people suffering, it really is a problem that has got to be faced. The fact is we have to take a fairly unsentimental view. Care may get better, but if so, at huge cost. There’s no point saying we ought to spend more, because we can’t.
“People talk about it as if the only respectable motive for wanting to die is for your own sake. But it seems to me just as respectable to want to die partly for the sake of others, and for the sake of society.”
The Baroness gets to the heart of the matter and does not flinch:
“If society has an obligation to look after them, I really want to know what for? For whose benefit? It’s not for the benefit of society, as the person is not in a position to contribute, and it’s not for the benefit of the person, so it must be something abstract about our being unable to bear saying ‘We can’t do this any longer’.
“If I were in a state of acute misery or pain, or an insufferable degree of dependency, I don’t see why I should feel an obligation to others to let them keep on changing my nappies.
“It sounds very callous, but most people I know dread being kept alive in a state of mental incapacity, more than cancer or anything else. If so, then I don’t see why society should force them to go through with something they fear the most.”
Her questions are the key questions: If society has an obligation to look after them, I really want to know what for? For whose benefit?
I can think of a few more questions:
Does anyone benefit from our perverse insistence on indefinitely extending the lives of the senile elderly? Are we fulfilling the wishes of the elderly people involved? Would they want to be kept alive, incapacitated, incontinent, and incapable of participating in the most basic tasks or social interactions? It’s difficult to imagine that anyone would want that.
Does it make any sense to spend a major proportion of the healthcare budget on people who are virtually insensate and will never recover? Does it make any sense, financially or morally, to divert resources from young people, who may not even have access to the healthcare system, to elderly people who have already received a lifetime’s worth of benefits from that same system?
The Alzheimer’s Association, not surprisingly, starts with the assumption that we can and should continue to provide care regardless of the cost. Considering that it is we the taxpayers who are paying, it is both financially and morally incumbent upon us to question that assumption.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
русские аудиокниги для детей США
[…]check below, are some entirely unrelated web-sites to ours, nevertheless, they’re most trustworthy sources that we use[…]
virtual credit card buy with bitcoin
[…]below you will uncover the link to some websites that we believe you’ll want to visit[…]
virtual card buy with cryptocurrency
[…]Sites of interest we have a link to[…]
https://happyruck.com
[…]Here are a few of the sites we recommend for our visitors[…]
TÜM HABERLER
[…]we came across a cool internet site that you simply may delight in. Take a appear in the event you want[…]
Gorilla Trekking Safaris Uganda
[…]below you will find the link to some sites that we feel you should visit[…]
CableFreeTV Sports News
[…]always a huge fan of linking to bloggers that I love but really don’t get a good deal of link love from[…]
Buy Platinum OG Online
[…]the time to study or pay a visit to the content or internet sites we’ve linked to beneath the[…]
sapphire-nitro-radeon-rx-6800-xt-16-gb-for-sale
[…]below you will find the link to some internet sites that we assume you need to visit[…]
Mining Rigs
[…]check below, are some totally unrelated websites to ours, nonetheless, they are most trustworthy sources that we use[…]
buy backlinks
…
best testosterone booster
[…]usually posts some very fascinating stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]
brass knuckles cartridges
[…]check below, are some absolutely unrelated internet sites to ours, even so, they’re most trustworthy sources that we use[…]
happyLuke
[…]very few web-sites that come about to be in depth below, from our point of view are undoubtedly well really worth checking out[…]
MUT
[…]very handful of internet websites that come about to be detailed beneath, from our point of view are undoubtedly very well worth checking out[…]
raw garden cartridges
[…]Every the moment inside a though we opt for blogs that we study. Listed below would be the latest web pages that we pick […]
tropical punch strain
[…]we came across a cool site which you may delight in. Take a look should you want[…]
Tudor Black Bay 58
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a number of unrelated information, nevertheless truly really worth taking a look, whoa did a single discover about Mid East has got extra problerms as well […]
Buy Ayahuasca
[…]Here are several of the internet sites we advocate for our visitors[…]
male masturbators
[…]that is the end of this post. Right here you will find some internet sites that we feel you will value, just click the hyperlinks over[…]
pocket masturbator
[…]just beneath, are numerous completely not related internet sites to ours, nevertheless, they may be certainly really worth going over[…]
live resin cartridges
[…]we came across a cool site that you simply could love. Take a search when you want[…]
sig sauer firearms
[…]Sites of interest we have a link to[…]
savage grow plus results
[…]we came across a cool web page that you simply may possibly appreciate. Take a appear should you want[…]
Gorilla Trekking
[…]here are some hyperlinks to internet sites that we link to since we feel they are worth visiting[…]
bitcoin
…
dizziness
[…]please take a look at the web pages we adhere to, such as this one particular, as it represents our picks in the web[…]
Sig Sauer Firearms
[…]although internet websites we backlink to below are considerably not related to ours, we feel they may be basically worth a go via, so have a look[…]
The Cavendish School
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a couple of unrelated information, nonetheless really really worth taking a appear, whoa did 1 learn about Mid East has got more problerms at the same time […]
RissMiner
[…]we came across a cool site that you simply may delight in. Take a look in case you want[…]
buy pills florida
[…]please take a look at the web-sites we comply with, like this a single, because it represents our picks from the web[…]
understanding the stock market
[…]we came across a cool internet site that you could appreciate. Take a search in the event you want[…]
G17 GEN5 MOS FS STANDARD | 9X19MM
[…]very couple of sites that occur to be comprehensive below, from our point of view are undoubtedly very well worth checking out[…]
Winchester 1894
[…]Sites of interest we’ve a link to[…]
وكالة تسويق
[…]please visit the web pages we adhere to, such as this 1, as it represents our picks through the web[…]
nautilus counter
[…]just beneath, are a lot of completely not associated internet sites to ours, however, they are surely worth going over[…]
gigabyte d33006
[…]just beneath, are numerous completely not associated sites to ours, even so, they are surely really worth going over[…]
Travelmonke Tours
[…]very handful of sites that take place to become in depth beneath, from our point of view are undoubtedly nicely worth checking out[…]
Innosilicon A11 Pro 8GB 2000 Mh/s Ethereum miner
[…]Sites of interest we have a link to[…]
Fennec Fox for Sale Near Me
[…]Every the moment inside a although we pick out blogs that we study. Listed beneath would be the most up-to-date internet sites that we opt for […]
buy weed online usa
[…]Every as soon as inside a even though we choose blogs that we study. Listed below are the most recent web pages that we pick out […]
costco gaming chairs
…
smith and wesson r8
…
beretta 1301 for sale
[…]The data talked about in the write-up are some of the ideal readily available […]
buy juul online
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine some unrelated information, nevertheless genuinely really worth taking a look, whoa did 1 master about Mid East has got much more problerms as well […]
magic mushrooms
[…]Every once in a though we choose blogs that we read. Listed below are the newest websites that we pick […]
magic mushrooms
[…]just beneath, are quite a few absolutely not associated sites to ours, on the other hand, they are surely really worth going over[…]
buy nembutal online
[…]the time to read or stop by the content or web sites we’ve linked to beneath the[…]
Buy STIIIZY BATTERY(BLUE)
[…]just beneath, are many completely not connected internet sites to ours, on the other hand, they are certainly really worth going over[…]
fireball frenzy casino game
[…]Here are a few of the web pages we advise for our visitors[…]
landor arms tx 801
[…]we came across a cool web-site that you may get pleasure from. Take a appear in case you want[…]
pdx1 12 defender
[…]Here are a number of the web pages we suggest for our visitors[…]
THC PUFF BAR
[…]the time to study or visit the subject material or internet sites we’ve linked to beneath the[…]
Buy Morphine pills online
…
myloweslife.com
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a handful of unrelated data, nonetheless genuinely worth taking a look, whoa did one particular find out about Mid East has got additional problerms too […]
Izrada sajtova Crna Gora
Development of websites, mobile applications, portals and online stores
aromatherapy shop
[…]the time to read or take a look at the subject material or internet sites we have linked to beneath the[…]
Tanzania safari Serengeti
…
shipping containers for sale
[…]check below, are some totally unrelated sites to ours, however, they’re most trustworthy sources that we use[…]
FARMING EQUIPMENT LIST
[…]please pay a visit to the internet sites we comply with, such as this one particular, because it represents our picks through the web[…]
best male sex toys
[…]here are some links to internet sites that we link to due to the fact we believe they are really worth visiting[…]
african safari adventures contact details
[…]the time to read or pay a visit to the subject material or web sites we have linked to beneath the[…]
Mac air akku reparatur rapperswil
[…]The information mentioned inside the post are a few of the best readily available […]
Livestock for sale
[…]the time to read or stop by the material or sites we have linked to below the[…]
Pinball Machines for Sale
[…]we came across a cool web page that you just might get pleasure from. Take a search in the event you want[…]
Buy Sig Sauer Guns Online
[…]please visit the sites we stick to, such as this a single, because it represents our picks in the web[…]
Site internet WordPress
[…]Here is a great Blog You may Obtain Interesting that we Encourage You[…]
THC Vape Oil
[…]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I enjoy but do not get quite a bit of link appreciate from[…]
mp3juices
[…]just beneath, are many completely not associated web-sites to ours, however, they’re surely worth going over[…]
games for pc download
[…]always a significant fan of linking to bloggers that I love but do not get a good deal of link enjoy from[…]
free download for windows 8
[…]one of our visitors lately encouraged the following website[…]
laptop app free download
[…]Here are several of the websites we suggest for our visitors[…]
app download for pc
…
apps for pc download
[…]very handful of websites that happen to become in depth below, from our point of view are undoubtedly very well really worth checking out[…]
games for pc download
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine several unrelated information, nonetheless genuinely worth taking a look, whoa did one master about Mid East has got far more problerms at the same time […]
projektownie wnętrz Gdynia
[…]always a huge fan of linking to bloggers that I love but really don’t get a whole lot of link adore from[…]
hand job tips
[…]the time to study or visit the content or internet sites we’ve linked to below the[…]
vibrator
[…]below you will find the link to some websites that we consider you’ll want to visit[…]
online pharmacy usa
[…]we came across a cool site which you may take pleasure in. Take a appear in case you want[…]
MESCALINE FOR SALE
[…]here are some links to websites that we link to for the reason that we think they’re really worth visiting[…]
dachshund puppies for sale
…
Macaw parrots for sale
…
apple jack big cheif
[…]please take a look at the web sites we follow, such as this one, because it represents our picks in the web[…]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More on that Topic: skepticalob.com/2009/04/is-alzheimers-care-waste-of-money.html […]
Thc juul pods
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine some unrelated data, nevertheless definitely worth taking a appear, whoa did one master about Mid East has got more problerms also […]
alcolado glacial
[…]we came across a cool web-site that you may well enjoy. Take a appear when you want[…]
murchison falls safari
[…]below you will obtain the link to some websites that we feel you’ll want to visit[…]
good luck for business
[…]although web sites we backlink to beneath are considerably not associated to ours, we really feel they’re truly worth a go by, so have a look[…]
안전사이트
[…]Sites of interest we have a link to[…]
savage 93r17 for sale
[…]just beneath, are numerous completely not connected internet sites to ours, having said that, they may be surely really worth going over[…]
http://www.nationalvictor.org
[…]Here is a superb Blog You might Discover Interesting that we Encourage You[…]
best in ottawa
[…]very couple of internet sites that take place to be detailed beneath, from our point of view are undoubtedly properly really worth checking out[…]
realistic pocket pussy
[…]please pay a visit to the sites we follow, such as this one particular, because it represents our picks in the web[…]
1xbit mobile
[…]one of our guests lately encouraged the following website[…]
penis enhancer
…
how to achieve orgasm using a penis ring
[…]although sites we backlink to below are considerably not connected to ours, we feel they’re actually worth a go as a result of, so possess a look[…]
myts about sex
[…]Here is a superb Blog You may Come across Intriguing that we Encourage You[…]
male sex toys
[…]here are some hyperlinks to websites that we link to mainly because we believe they’re worth visiting[…]
twitter video download mp4
[…]below you will discover the link to some web pages that we think you’ll want to visit[…]
CTRLCOIN
[…]below you will obtain the link to some sites that we think you ought to visit[…]
melhores telemóveis
[…]Every the moment inside a whilst we select blogs that we study. Listed beneath would be the most up-to-date web sites that we select […]
streaming gratuit
…
car delivery company
[…]please go to the web pages we follow, including this 1, as it represents our picks through the web[…]
site de streaming
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a handful of unrelated data, nonetheless definitely really worth taking a look, whoa did one understand about Mid East has got additional problerms also […]
Peer-to-Peer crypto platfrom
[…]below you will locate the link to some web pages that we feel you need to visit[…]
esenyurt escort
[…]check below, are some completely unrelated sites to ours, nonetheless, they’re most trustworthy sources that we use[…]
THC Vape Oil
[…]Here is a superb Weblog You might Locate Fascinating that we Encourage You[…]
كشف اسم المتصل
[…]The details mentioned inside the article are a few of the best out there […]
most realistic dildo
[…]one of our guests just lately proposed the following website[…]
huge dildo
[…]The details talked about in the article are some of the best out there […]
male masturbation toys
[…]Here are a few of the web sites we recommend for our visitors[…]
male prostate vibrator
…
ruay สมัคร
…
lottovip
[…]very couple of internet sites that come about to become comprehensive beneath, from our point of view are undoubtedly well really worth checking out[…]
commercial real estate
[…]The info mentioned within the post are a number of the top accessible […]
สมัคร lottovip
[…]we came across a cool web-site that you may love. Take a search should you want[…]
learn more
[…]although websites we backlink to beneath are considerably not associated to ours, we feel they are in fact really worth a go by, so have a look[…]
Oxygen concentrator for sale
[…]one of our guests a short while ago encouraged the following website[…]
prostate vibrator
[…]here are some hyperlinks to web sites that we link to simply because we assume they may be worth visiting[…]
Food Delivery
[…]the time to study or stop by the content or web pages we’ve linked to below the[…]
mersin escort
[…]one of our visitors recently proposed the following website[…]
gay toys
[…]Here is a superb Weblog You might Locate Interesting that we Encourage You[…]
http://www.canadianpharmacyking.com
[…]we came across a cool web site that you just may well love. Take a appear when you want[…]
Shrooms Vancouver
[…]Here is a good Weblog You might Obtain Intriguing that we Encourage You[…]
istanbul escort
[…]Sites of interest we’ve a link to[…]
toys for men
[…]we came across a cool site which you may well get pleasure from. Take a appear for those who want[…]
??????? happyluke
[…]we came across a cool web page which you could get pleasure from. Take a look when you want[…]
happyluke
[…]check beneath, are some totally unrelated sites to ours, however, they’re most trustworthy sources that we use[…]
Buy Colombian cocaine Online
[…]here are some links to sites that we link to because we feel they may be worth visiting[…]
canada pharmacy
…
esenyurt escort
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine several unrelated information, nevertheless actually really worth taking a appear, whoa did a single learn about Mid East has got far more problerms too […]
erotica stories
[…]very few internet websites that come about to be comprehensive below, from our point of view are undoubtedly well really worth checking out[…]
read more
[…]check below, are some entirely unrelated internet websites to ours, nonetheless, they’re most trustworthy sources that we use[…]
datenrettung schweiz
[…]Here are a number of the web-sites we advise for our visitors[…]
Heroin For Sale
[…]one of our guests just lately advised the following website[…]
trauma healing
[…]we came across a cool web-site which you may possibly delight in. Take a search if you want[…]
canada pharmacy canada pharmacy
[…]we came across a cool website which you may take pleasure in. Take a look if you want[…]
glo extract
[…]Here are some of the websites we suggest for our visitors[…]
buy weed in Ohio
[…]just beneath, are several absolutely not related web-sites to ours, nonetheless, they may be certainly really worth going over[…]
Buy Guns Online
…
latest technology
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine several unrelated information, nevertheless definitely really worth taking a search, whoa did one discover about Mid East has got far more problerms too […]
نيك
[…]here are some links to sites that we link to since we believe they may be really worth visiting[…]
storage building near me
[…]just beneath, are numerous completely not related sites to ours, however, they may be certainly really worth going over[…]
Treadmill For Sale
[…]Here is an excellent Weblog You might Uncover Intriguing that we Encourage You[…]
Thc Cartridge
https://theclearconcerntrate.com/ The Clear classic oil is mixed with CBD isolate and our preparatory flavorings for the best taste and consistency on the market today.
Sig M18
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine several unrelated data, nonetheless definitely worth taking a appear, whoa did one find out about Mid East has got extra problerms at the same time […]
canadian pharmacies
[…]we came across a cool web site that you may well enjoy. Take a appear for those who want[…]
atasehir escort
[…]usually posts some very intriguing stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]
MILF Porn Land
…
Takeout Food
[…]The data talked about within the write-up are a number of the best readily available […]
Glock Guns for sale
[…]always a major fan of linking to bloggers that I enjoy but do not get lots of link enjoy from[…]
moving company
[…]one of our guests a short while ago encouraged the following website[…]
buy guns online
[…]The information mentioned inside the article are a few of the most effective obtainable […]
buy ruger guns online
[…]usually posts some really exciting stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]
shroom chocolate
[…]although websites we backlink to below are considerably not connected to ours, we feel they are actually worth a go via, so possess a look[…]
buy weed
[…]just beneath, are several totally not related websites to ours, even so, they may be surely really worth going over[…]
marijuana dispensaries
[…]we came across a cool web-site which you may love. Take a look should you want[…]
weed near me
…
Google
Here are some links to sites that we link to due to the fact we consider they are worth visiting.
bottes timberland pas cher
Initially, thanks for getting typically the update within Exclusive Picture Burial container.
Title…
[…]one of our visitors just lately advised the following website[…]…
Title…
[…]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I appreciate but don’t get quite a bit of link enjoy from[…]…
Title…
[…]that will be the finish of this report. Right here you’ll obtain some web sites that we think you will enjoy, just click the links over[…]…
Title…
[…]we came across a cool site that you could appreciate. Take a search if you want[…]…
Title…
[…]that could be the finish of this write-up. Here you will uncover some web sites that we feel you will enjoy, just click the links over[…]…