Lisa D’Ambrosio Presents on Financial Impacts of Dementia at AFCPE 2025
by Niels Wu
AgeLab Research Scientist Lisa D’Ambrosio chaired and presented at a panel session at the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE) 2025 Symposium in Washington, D.C. The session focused on the financial impacts of dementia and highlighted how stakeholders in the financial services industry can protect individuals and families from the financial losses and risks associated with diagnosis. D’Ambrosio was accompanied by Angelena Bradfield of the Financial Technology Association, Jilenne Gunther of AARP, and panel discussant Steve Lynn of Kansas State University.
D’Ambrosio’s presentation, titled “Dementia’s Hidden Early Costs,” highlighted the fact that dementia can strain a person’s finances long before a formal diagnosis, with measurable impacts emerging up to six years prior. Adults who go on to be diagnosed are more likely to miss credit payments, develop subprime credit scores, and experience a steep decline in net worth—sometimes falling by more than half in the eight years leading up to diagnosis. These hidden costs can amplify the already significant burdens of unpaid caregiving, out-of-pocket expenses, and work disruptions faced by family members of people with dementia. Research also suggests that cognitive decline and financial losses may exist in a feedback loop and exacerbate each other, especially for individuals lacking a strong support network.
The AgeLab, through ongoing work with partners like AARP, aims to support financial professionals, caregivers, and families with better tools and proactive conversations about dementia’s financial trajectory. D’Ambrosio’s presentation, for example, drew insights from “Before the Diagnosis: Dementia’s Early Financial Toll,” a report produced by AgeLab researcher Luke Yoquinto in collaboration with AARP.
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