Unpaid caregivers and family members spend over 100 hours per month assisting elderly people with dementia who live in the community. This is significantly higher than the average of 73 hours per month for similar caregivers assisting elderly people without dementia. People with dementia make up 10 percent of noninstitutionalized adults aged 65 or older but account for more than 40 percent of unpaid caregivers’ time. As the number of people with dementia increases, caregiving resources face strain. Medicare does not cover routine personal care and other services needed by people with or without dementia.
