Introduced in the 112th and again in the 113th Congress, The Hope (Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education) for Alzheimer’s Act will be reintroduced to the 114th Congress this year. The act was developed from the initial demands of the “National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s” by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2012. Groups such as the Alzheimer’s Association (AA), the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) and Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM), have been working hard and together, to convince U.S. legislation to increase funding for Alzheimer’s research. Of course, the long term goal is to discover a cure and eliminate the threat of Alzheimer’s disease altogether, but their short term goal is to provide doctors with the time and money to create more effective care plans. This can only be done by promoting earlier detection and diagnosis as well as the necessary funding.
With hundreds of advocates, from the above mentioned groups and other organizations, preparing for the upcoming trip to Washington D.C., The HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act has been refined and restructured to best fit the needs of Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers today and in the future. The earlier a dementia diagnosis is given and documented, the better chance of creating an effective care plan for the individual. Because Alzheimer’s usually affects much older adults, there are usually a myriad of health issues that doctors and caregivers must contend with in addition to Alzheimer’s disease. The HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act, if adopted, would:
- Provide Medicare beneficiaries and their care givers coverage for comprehensive care planning services following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis
- Require that the diagnosis and care plan be documented in the individual’s medical record to aid in care coordination with other conditions
- Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to educate practitioners about the services available and inform them of any barriers they may face receiving these services, as well as ways to eliminate those barriers
- Educate and support individuals with Alzheimer’s, their families and health care providers
Another important factor to consider is the staggering financial cost that Alzheimer’s has on this country, not to mention the caregivers and families themselves. Early detection can provide the time needed to plan for long-term care, both financially and emotionally. An individual who has been diagnosed in the early stages can take part in the decisions of their present and future care plans. Spouses and children would not be left to “guess” what their loved wants when that individual can no longer make their own decisions due to symptoms of the disease.
It is safe to say that all Americans will affected by Alzheimer’s in the near future, be it directly when a loved one (or themselves) develops the disease or indirectly, when state and federal budgets are crippled by the ever rising costs of care. Now is the time to insist that our government make Alzheimer’s research a priority and give the funding necessary to prevent an epidemic. This may sound dramatic, but all experts agree that this is where this country is headed if nothing is done now to stop it. We encourage everyone to reach out and contact your local, state and federal legislators and demand that they take the necessary steps to insure the much needed funding for Alzheimer’s research for early detection and treatments. It will take all of us to fight this battle.With hundreds of advocates, from the above mentioned groups and other organizations, preparing for the upcoming trip to Washington D.C., The HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act has been refined and restructured to best fit the needs of Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers today and in the future. The earlier a dementia diagnosis is given and documented, the better chance of creating an effective care plan for the individual. Because Alzheimer’s usually affects much older adults, there are usually a myriad of health issues that doctors and caregivers must contend with in addition to Alzheimer’s disease.
We encourage everyone to reach out to their local, state and federal representatives and let them know how important The HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act is for all us. When you do, please share your story with us here so that others may be ispired to advocate on behalf of those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.
