The true cost of Alzheimer’s care is extraordinarily high and growing rapidly, but there is significant concern that governments may not be fully transparent about the full financial and social burden involved. Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias impose enormous expenses on healthcare systems, families, and society, yet much of the real cost remains hidden or underestimated in official reports and public discourse.
Alzheimer’s care costs are staggering. In the United States alone, memory care costs average around $7,785 per month in 2025, which translates to nearly $93,420 per year for one individual. When multiplied by millions of patients, the total national cost reaches hundreds of billions annually. Informal care provided by family and friends—unpaid caregiving—is estimated at $247 billion, a massive hidden subsidy that is rarely accounted for in government budgets or policy discussions. The overall cost of Alzheimer’s care in the U.S. is projected to hit $781 billion in 2025, and globally, the financial burden is expected to soar to over a trillion dollars within the next few decades as the number of cases rises dramatically[1].
Despite these enormous figures, official government estimates and public health communications often focus narrowly on direct medical expenses or institutional care costs, leaving out the vast unpaid caregiving contributions and indirect costs such as lost productivity, emotional strain, and long-term economic impacts on families. This selective accounting can create a misleading impression that Alzheimer’s care is less costly than it truly is. It also obscures the urgent need for more comprehensive support systems and funding for research, treatment, and caregiver assistance.
The rising prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease compounds the problem. As populations age, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s is expected to more than double in the coming decades—from about 7.2 million in 2025 to nearly 19 million by 2050 in the U.S. alone. Worldwide, cases are projected to reach 139 million by 2050. This “silver tsunami” will place unprecedented demands on healthcare infrastructure and social services, driving costs even higher. Yet, government planning and funding often lag behind these projections, partly because the full scope of the disease’s impact is not fully acknowledged or communicated[2][3].
Another factor complicating transparency is the evolving nature of Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatment. New therapies targeting the biological causes of Alzheimer’s, such as drugs that remove amyloid plaques in the brain, offer hope but come with high price tags and uncertain long-term benefits. Thes
