Dementia May Lead to Avoidable Hospitalizations

Two-thirds of admissions in these patients are for preventable illnesses, study finds

January 10, 2012 RSS Feed Print

In addition, Devi would like to see greater reimbursement and availability of in-home help to care for people with dementia. She explained that she has a patient who is paying out-of-pocket for a home health aide to care for an elderly mother. It costs about $30,000 a year, but the cost of just one week of being hospitalized is far more than that, she noted. "Patients aren't currently supported for staying at home, but taking care of people with dementia at home is a humane thing to do," Devi said.

More information

Learn more about caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease from the U.S. National Institute on Aging.