Functional Impairment, Healthcare Costs and the Prevalence of Institutionalisation in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias

Although relationships between function and costs have been described previously, the exact nature of these relationships has not been investigated solely in patients with dementia. The data from this study suggest a strong relationship between functional impairment and healthcare costs, specifically in patients with dementia. Even IADL impairments, which are common in mild to moderate dementia, may significantly raise costs. The results suggest that therapies and care management that improve functioning may possibly reduce other healthcare costs. </AbstractSection> Copyright Adis Data Information BV 2006