Alzheimer's Association

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Your voice can make a difference.

Advocacy is a major component of the Alzheimer's Association mission. Advocates are people with Alzheimer's and related disorders, caregivers, friends and families whose voices together are a powerful tool for change and hope of a future without Alzheimer's.

Medicare

Medicare covers more than 35 million Americans age 65 and older and 6 million younger adults with permanent disabilities.

Medicare expenditures for people with Alzheimer's are nearly 3 times higher than the average for all beneficiaries. Within a decade, total annual Medicare costs for people with Alzheimer's will increase by almost 55% -- to nearly $50 billion.

Learn more about the issues surrounding Medicare and Alzheimer's disease

Medicaid

Medicaid is the single largest private payer for long term care services in the United States. It is the only significant source of financial assistance for long term care for people with Alzheimer's disease.

Learn more about Medicaid and Alzheimer's issues, and how advocates are making a difference.

Long Term Care

With fourteen million people wxpected to develop Alzheimer's disease by the middle of the 21st century, the demand for long term care will explode.

Funding research to substantially lowe the number of people with Alzheimer's who need long term care, providing prescription drug coverage and a Medicare chronic care benefit to reduce excess disability and the need for long term care can reduce the high demand.

However, it will not eliminate the need for affordable, high quality long term care at home, in the community, and in residential care facilities.

Learn more about long term care issues and Alzheimer's disease.

You can make a difference in our battle against Alzheimer's disease and we invite you to become an advocate.

Join Our Network and add your voice to ours. Inform us of your interest by email. Please provide all contact information to facilitate registration to be an advocate

The emotional, financial and social consequences of Alzheimer's disease are so devastating it deserves special attention. Research is the only hope.

President Ronald Reagan

1983

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Family Support

Families are the backbone of the long term care system, providing 70 percent of Alzheimer care. When families provide care at home, the cost of paid assistance is $19,000 annually compared with nearly $64,000 in a facility. However, this "family care systm" is at enormous risk.

Learn more about family care support issues and how advocates can make a difference.

Iowa Legislators

Write Congress To Increase Research

Click here to locate your Iowa Legislators

You can make a difference in our fight for a world without Alzheimer's.

Tell Congress to increase Alzheimer research funding to $1 billion as soon as possible!

Include your personal story
Include your name and mailing address

Research

The Alzheimer's Association is the largest private contributor to Alzheimer's disease research. Since 1982, the Alzheimer's Association has granted more than $165 million in research grants.

But this is one place where only government can make a difference.

The Alzheimer's Association calls on Congress to appropirate $1 billion Alzheimer's research at the National Institues of Health.

As baby boomers enter the age of greatest risk, Alzheimer's disease will become the public health crisis of the 21st century. By the middle of the century, the number of new cases will increase by nearly 1 million each year. The total with the disease will explode from an estimated 4.5 million today to as many as 14 million by 2050.

If our elected officials are serious about saving our health care system and controlling the costs of Medicare and Medicaid, they have no choice but to increase -- immediately and substantially -- their investment in Alzheimer's research.

The research goals are clear and attainable:

To prevent onset of disease in those who are at risk but not yet afflicted, and
To treat and delay progression of the disease in those who already have the symptoms.

We have 10 years at most to prevent disaster. If we miss that chance, Alzheimer's will bankrupt family, state, and federal budgets as up to 14 million baby boomers succmb to the disease. The investment in research is well worth the cost and the payoff will be enormous.