Mar 07, 2026
3 min read
'Wives, older daughters and daughters-in-law are the main caregivers of patients in this series,' says Barcelona S.The Alzheimer's Center's medical director explains.
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Neurologist Mercè Boada, medical director of the Barcelona Ace Alzheimer Center, and
Does Alzheimer's disease affect men and women equally?
If we look at the incidence, i.e. new cases, the ratio of men and women is roughly the same.But if we see the diagnoses and the people who come for consultation, women predominate: approximately 60% are women and 40% are men.And something similar can be observed on a global level: 60-65% of diagnoses occur in women.
And what is the reason for this advantage?
We don't know better.There is no single explanation.But an important fact emerges from these statistics: Alzheimer's is said to be a woman's disease, not only because women are diagnosed more often, but also because the majority of caregivers are women.
Who takes care of the office?
There is a very clear hierarchy.The first caregiver is usually the woman.The second, the eldest daughter.And the third, often the wife of the eldest son.This was seen in a study by the Mediterranean Alzheimer Alliance of women from different countries in the Mediterranean region.The pattern was very similar.Some places scored even higher.
Why is this burden on women?
Because women are culturally trained to take care of the home, children and the elderly.The problem is that, at the same time, women have fully entered the world of work.And the question arises: who cares?This distribution of charges does not change from one day to another, it is a cultural change.There is also an element of stigma and guilt: the idea that if a woman is not caring, she is a bad mother, a bad daughter or a bad wife.It has a lot of weight.
Is this reflected in demand?
Yes, and in difficult situations.We have heard cases where women have said: "I wanted to get a divorce, but now they tell me that my husband is mentally retarded and that I morally and ethically have to take care of him."
What happens to a family without a caregiver?
After diagnosis, it is not always clear who will take on the role of caregiver.There is a significant number of people with very mild dementia who have little or no family caregiver.And when you look at that group, one thing stands out: An important part are women who live alone. Women with dementia who continue to function independently, sometimes without asking for help, because they are used to managing their home, food and shopping... What these women do is reduce the complexity of their daily lives. A simple dinner, a very stable routine, a small circle.So they can survive on their own for a long time... Even doing 'stupid' things like sleeping with the gas on or with the door open... Mistakes that lead to serious problems.And often neither they nor the people around them ask for help in time.
Menopause and estrogen are often cited as reasons for the higher incidence of Alzheimer's disease in women.
It has been raised as a hypothesis, but there is no closed explanation.Much research has been done on hormonal status and estrogen therapy has been studied to improve cognitive performance, but a large study has shown that it can be worsened in some women.What we do know is that menopause involves powerful system changes: energy, mood, loneliness, depression... all of which can reduce cognitive performance in one step.Then, over time, the body can adapt.
How do women feel about the fear of dementia?
Many people often express an opinion over and over again: "I don't want to take care, I don't want to be a burden, I don't want to disturb the family."They prefer to be autonomous, not to be tasked, and this affects how they ask for help — or not ask.
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