In 2004, the Office of the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Policy and Planning
estimated that the total number of Veterans with dementia would be as high as 563,758 in FY 2010.
The behavioral symptoms that are associated with dementia, such as agitation/aggression,wandering, and sleep disturbances, are associated with increased caregiver burden, decreased quality of life for the patient, and increased healthcare costs. It is estimated that behavioral symptoms occur in as many as 90 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).