HOUSTON (CW39) — In Texas, approximately 1.09 million unpaid caregivers provided care to Texans with Alzheimer’s disease in 2021. This equates to an estimated 1.77 billion hours of unpaid care at a cost of approximately $25.9 billion per year.

That’s according to the Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures 2022 report released by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Megan Spiller, a sales manager for Brookdale Senior Living, said that during the pandemic, many opted to care for their loved ones at home. But now, she is seeing more families reach out to her and other facilities for help.

“I think that caregiver burnout is really what’s taking the toll,” she said. “We’re able to keep them safe in a small environment, keep eyes on them pretty much 24/7 and give them the love and the care that they need.”

However, availability has become an issue with the higher demand. Spiller says when her facility has an opening, it is gone almost immediately.

Alzheimer’s disease has an economic burden of an estimated $321 billion in 2022.

Texas ranks fourth in the number of Alzheimer’s disease cases and second in the number of Alzheimer’s disease deaths.