Dementia is the seventh leading cause of death among all diseases and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, representing 60-70% of all diagnoses.
About 1 in every 9 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s dementia, and it’s estimated about 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 develop a form of dementia per year (which is considered early-onset dementia).
Experiencing homelessness appears to be both a risk factor for, as well as a possible consequence of, Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD), however, this relationship is complex and connected to other co-morbidities and non-medical drivers of health.
Initial studies focused on cognitive impairment or dementia in homeless older adults identified that a significant proportion of this population screened positively for dementia and/or cognitive impairment. Studies have found a high rate of cognitive impairment (25%) among all homeless adults but note that the current evidence likely is under-representative and rates may be even higher.
