This is an emotional first person account from patient-advocate Greg O’Brien about the struggles of living with Alzheimer’s disease. Around five million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is expected to double within the next 20 years as baby boomers continue to age. The cost of treating Alzheimer’s patients is currently more than $200 billion per year, and that number could surpass $1 trillion by 2050. In this column Greg O’Brien documents his own personal struggle with the disease and the impact it is having on his relationship with his family. This account personalizes a struggle that is impacting millions of people. Alzheimer’s disease also has an impact on estate planning as families struggle to adapt to the changing circumstances. Planning ahead for diseases like Alzheimer’s is always important for any estate planning.
See Greg O’Brien, I’m documenting my own Alzheimer’s disease while I still can, The Washington Post, April 13, 2016.
Special thanks to Naomi Cahn (Harold H. Greene Professor of Law, George Washington University School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.
