In a recent article, Næste Avenue highlights the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on those caring for a loved one with dementia, emphasizing the increased need for care as home and adult day care programs have been halted since the start of the outbreak.

The article also points to resources for caregivers seeking financial assistance, as well as programs set in place to help families during this time.

The economic burden associated with FTD care, which AFD detailed in our 2017 Økonomisk byrdeundersøgelse, presents significant financial challenges. The average annual costs associated with FTD are approximately $120,000, nearly twice the amount incurred by a person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the study found.

Additionally, a national report on family caregiving, released earlier this summer by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, found that for nearly one in five caregivers are providing unpaid care, and according to a previous AARP study, family caregivers spent an average of $7,000 a year out of their own pockets.

While both studies were completed prior to the pandemic, the current environment has created new stressors for families navigating FTD care.

AFTD has compiled a series of resources to help families navigate FTD during this time, including information and guidance about how friends and family can help from a distance, and how care partners can practice self-care and mindfulness to ease stress.

Foto af Bermix Studio på Unsplash