Caring for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients is emotionally demanding but also is increasingly expensive, according to a Fort Myers News-Press analysis of 10 years of records from state agencies, nursing homes and hospitals.
Among the findings, the News-Press found that: Medicaid spending for Alzheimer's-related care, including nursing home care, is significantly higher in Southwest Florida than the rest of the state; about 2,000 people with Alzheimer’s Disease remain on a state waiting list for caregiver assistance; and charges for Alzheimer’s care in Southwest Florida hospitals has more than doubled in the past decade.
The News-Press also reports that a quarter of the nursing home facilities are rated “below average” or “much below average” for the quality of their care despite the high costs, the average of which being $250 dollars per day for the uninsured.
