Alzheimer’s Patients & Caregivers Prefer Support over Research for Cure

By Sondra Forsyth

More than $100 million in federal funding was spent last year toward searching for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. However, if given the choice, most people with dementia and those caring for them would like to see the money go elsewhere, according to a recent study led by University at Buffalo researcher Davina Porock and published in August 2015 in published in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing.

The study surveyed people with dementia and their care providers on how funding from the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), a federal plan to overcome the disease, should be spent.

It revealed that the majority of respondents ranked caregiving support and resources for long-term care ahead of research for a cure.

The findings are in contrast to current NAPA spending to support those with Alzheimer’s disease, which dedicated only $10 million to care services and education, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

With more than 5 million people in the U.S. living with dementia, each person receives less than $2 for care support, says Porock.

A release from the university quotes Porock, PhD, professor in the UB School of Nursing, as saying, “Sure, most people in our surveys would love for there to be a cure, but in the meantime they all have this disease and they need help. We have 10 times more money going toward research instead of supporting the people who are living with dementia. Research is still high on the agenda, but they think that support is more important.”