Silver Book Fact
Among the elderly, hospitalization of a spouse for dementia correlated to an increase risk of death for the partner that was not hospitalized. Among men, 8.6% died within a year after a partner was hospitalized for dementia, compared to 6.4% after a partner was hospitalized for colon cancer and 6.9% after a partner was hospitalized for stroke. Among women, 5% died within a year after a partner was hospitalized for dementia, compared to 3% after a partner was hospitalized for colon cancer and 3.7% after a partner was hospitalized for stroke.
Alzheimer's Association. 2007 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Washington, D.C.: Alzheimer’s Association; 2008. http://www.alz.org/national/documents/Report_2007FactsAndFigures.pdf