An estimated 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia today, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The care they need is often provided by family members and others who are unpaid and don’t have the needed resources.
For the past two years, Christine Takamoto has been taking care of Leo, a close family friend, who suffers from Dementia.
“When you do this full time, it’s a lot. There is not really a break,” said Takamoto.
She’s an Army Veteran who served eight years and a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
She’s completing her masters in psychology counseling to become a mental health therapist, while providing unpaid care.
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 11 million family members and other unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 18.4 billion hours of care to people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias in 2023.
Leo, an Army Veteran himself, is grateful for Takamoto.