Auditors with the Health and Human Services inspector general's office estimate that in 2016 about 6,600 cases reflected potential neglect or abuse that was not reported.

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press

As the number of patients stricken with Alzheimer's disease continues to grow, so does the community of families and caregivers who have pledged to look after loved ones, often risking emotional, physical and financial burdens.