Alzheimer’s Disease: A Women’s Issue

U.S. National Archives' photostream via Flickr

Alzheimer’s disease is not typically mentioned as a pressing issue women face today. But the recently released Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Takes on Alzheimer’s provides ample evidence that this needs to change. Women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s, directly and indirectly, and discussion of the disease as a women’s issue needs to come to the forefront of both societal and political conversations.

The report finds that in the United States 65 percent (3.3 million) of those with Alzheimer’s are women, as are 60 percent (6.7 million) of caregivers. These astounding numbers will only increase over the coming years as the baby boomer generation ages, because women typically have longer lifespans and age is the main risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s.

If the disease continues to progress at its current rate, the report estimates that Alzheimer’s will cost us $20 trillion between now and 2050 because of costs to government, businesses, and families. Yet Alzheimer’s disease receives significantly less attention and research funding than other major diseases, and it is not even mentioned in the “comprehensive” Healthy People report.

Alzheimer’s caregivers also receive insufficient attention and support, although they bear the brunt of the extreme financial, emotional, and physical stress that goes along with caring for a loved one. Nearly 40 percent of female caregivers say they “had no choice in becoming a caregiver,” and almost half of those who work have been unable to take desired time off from their jobs. A large portion of caregivers are not covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, and 20 percent of female caregivers believe they have been penalized at work due to these responsibilities. Though women rate it as far more taxing than child care, elder care does not receive the support it deserves. We need to have conversations that take into account the various ages of people needing care when we discuss workplace flexibility, tax credits, training, and daycare options at the national policy level.

While the disease intensely affects women in an obvious way, it is also entwined with many of the issues for which AAUW already advocates. The disease strains the work/life balance many women struggle with already, and emphasizes the need to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act. The lack of retirement security, healthcare accessibility, and equal pay place even more constraints on women’s abilities to shoulder the large financial and emotional costs of Alzheimer’s.

Almost one in three Americans has a family member affected by this disease, and yet there is still a sense of shame and hesitancy to discuss the diagnosis and the toll it takes on both sufferers and caregivers. As more people open up about their struggles and reach out for help, we can begin to give Alzheimer’s the attention it so direly needs.

This blog post was written by AAUW Public Policy and Government Relations Fellow Emily Krueger, a master’s student in public policy at George Washington University.