More Than Half of Patients with Alzheimer’s Never Told Diagnosis

Beau Lark/Fuse/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Alzheimer’s disease, which is estimated to affect nearly 5 million Americans, is not a normal part of aging.

Now, a new report published Tuesday suggests that more than half of patients with Alzheimer’s disease may not even have been told their diagnosis by their doctors.

According to the newly released 2015 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, physicians frequently report that they are afraid of causing patients emotional distress by revealing the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

Other findings from the 88-page report include the growing rate of Alzheimer’s, the enormous economic burden, such as health care costs of $226 billion, and the increasing death rate from Alzheimer’s, which predicts 700,000 Americans will die in 2015.

Although there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease, researchers say active medical care can improve the quality of life for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers.

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