For the second year in a row, Health Union has gathered patient-reported data from hundreds of real people impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. The second annual Alzheimer’s Disease In America survey, a syndicated research study from Health Union, quantifies the true impact of this condition among patients and caregivers – going beyond basic demographics and symptoms to establish a deep understanding of the holistic patient journey for those affected and to track trends over time.

The new data from the second annual Alzheimer’s Disease In America survey reveals deep insights of a population of 80 diagnosed patient respondents and 297 caregiver respondents. Of the patient respondents, 69% feel frustrated they cannot do the things they used to be able to do.* In terms of treatment, 59% are currently using a pain medication, 39% regularly see a PCP for their condition, and only 11% feel controlled on their current treatment plan.*

*Top 2 box on a 7-pt. scale

Caring for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease can be challenging and frustrating. In open-ended survey responses, Alzheimer’s caregivers felt frustrated with treatment education and options for their loved ones:

“I think patients and family should be told about how medications can initially show great promise but will eventually become less and less effective as the disease progresses.” – Caregiver survey respondent

“My frustration is this: How long do I keep trying to ‘help’ my husband (challenging him with brain games, new medications, lifestyle skills, etc.) or when do I give up and just let the disease take its course? That’s cruel, but sometimes I wonder if I’m doing any good.” – Caregiver survey respondent

This access to a broad base of knowledge, facts and data gleaned from Health Union’s open online health communities like AlzheimersDisease.net, and syndicated research allows the healthcare industry to harness the power of Health Union’s continuous immersion in the patient experience to deliver smarter insights and implications–so you can spend your time developing the strategies that will make a difference.