Nevada caregivers provide 141 million hours of unpaid work

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A new report from the Alzheimer’s Association shows the growing workload of caregivers and the rise of Alzheimer’s disease in Nevada.

THE report says there are 84,000 caregivers in Nevada. The role of a caregiver includes physical care of loved ones, helping with bathing and dressing, supervising health care, and everything in between. It’s a 24/7 responsibility that many caregivers take on in addition to their day-to-day duties.

The Alzheimer’s Association indicates that in 2022, caregivers spent 141 million hours of unpaid care. This work is valued at over $2.6 billion.

There are more than 15,000 health and personal care aids in Nevada, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. As the number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease increases, experts say that number needs to increase by 50% to meet demand by 2030.

Kat Hartley has been a caregiver for six years, caring for her mother and adult brother, who has special needs. She also works with the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. She said there are resources for caregivers, but it’s a difficult system to navigate and can be overwhelming.

“We could use a lot more social workers and people to help us navigate. Part of the caregiver journey that’s challenging, while you’re physically caring for someone, to manage medical appointments, billing afterwards, managing all of that feels like a full-time job – a job that you don’t always feel qualified for,” Hartley added.

According to the annual report, there were 43 geriatricians in Nevada in 2021. This is expected to grow more than 260% to meet demand by 2050.

The number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease in Nevada was 49,000. This number is expected to increase to 64,000 by 2025.

There has also been a 247% increase in deaths from Alzheimer’s disease from 2000 to 2019.

If you are a caregiver, you can find a list of resources at Nevada dementia friend, Dementia darling, And Alzheimer Association.