Dear editor,
Almost half of all people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias are in hospice care toward the end of their life.
Even with the increasing number of Americans contracting the disease and requiring accurate hospice and palliative care, less than half of surveyed nursing homes have some palliative care or hospice care directed exclusively for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.
For people with advanced dementia, such adequate care — which focuses on managing and easing symptoms, reducing pain and stress, and increasing comfort — improves quality of life, controls costs, and enhances patient and family satisfaction.
However, as the demand for such care grows with the aging population, more must be done to ensure an adequately trained workforce.
We would like to thank Sheilah Bowman, the district director for Congressman Jeff Miller, for recently meeting with local Alzheimer’s Association representatives to discuss its potential impact.
The bipartisan Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (S. 2748/H.R. 3119) would increase palliative care and hospice training for health care professionals, launch a national campaign to inform patients and families about the benefits of palliative care, and enhance research on improving the delivery of palliative care.
We are deeply grateful for the support we’ve received from Rep. Miller and we look forward to working with Congressman Gaetz on this important issue.
In order for the Alzheimer's Association to meet our mission to end Alzheimer’s disease, public officials must take bold action in confronting this epidemic now.
It is only through adequate funding and a strong implementation of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease that we will meet the Alzheimer's Association's goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s by 2025.
Daniel Durkin
Ambassador, Alzheimer's Association
AL/ FL Panhandle Chapter
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Take action now to end Alzheimer’s by 2025