Many churches may be missing an opportunity to reach some neglected people in their own community—senior citizens struggling with dementia. One in three people over the age of 65 develop dementia, but according to recent surveys many people in this group feel profoundly isolated and marginalized. The following statistics were gathered after interviewing over 500 dementia patients and their caregivers:

• More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease.
• A third of patients said they left their home just once a week, and one in ten said they got out only once a month.
• Almost half avoided getting involved in local life because they felt they were burden, and less than half felt part of the community.
• In 2012, 15.4 million caregivers provided more than 17.5 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $216 billion.
• More than 60 percent of Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers rate the emotional stress of caregiving as high or very high; more than one-third report symptoms of depression.