Home > Winter 2011-2012 Newsletter |
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Update on the National Alzheimer’s
Project Act (NAPA)—Where are we now?
After hundreds of meetings, thousands of phone calls and e-mails,
and several years of hard-pressed advocacy, the National Alzheimer’s
Project Act (NAPA) was signed into law on January 4, 2011. With
a unanimous vote from both the Senate and House of Representatives,
the passing of NAPA marks one of the largest legislative milestones for the
Alzheimer’s cause.
Now, there is only one question left to ask: “Where do we go from here?”
For those less familiar with NAPA, its enactment requires the creation
of a national strategic plan to address the rapidly mounting Alzheimer’s
crisis within the United States. More specifically, NAPA will implement
an Advisory Council that will coordinate federal agencies conducting
Alzheimer’s related care, services, and research and draw up annual
recommendations to improve health and fi nancial outcomes for individuals
and families through government programs.
With the first year mark rounding the corner, the Association’s involvement
with NAPA is far from over. The Alzheimer’s Association has released
Alzheimer’s From the Frontlines: Challenges a National Alzheimer’s Plan
Must Address for the newly appointed Advisory Council. After hosting
a nationwide public input campaign, information was gathered from
over 43,000 Americans and addressed ten major challenges and policy
recommendations to combat these issues:
- A lack of public awareness.
To quell misconceptions of
Alzheimer’s and raise public
sympathy and involvement, a
nationwide Alzheimer’s awareness
campaign should be launched.
- A lack of public awareness.
To quell misconceptions of
Alzheimer’s and raise public
sympathy and involvement, a
nationwide Alzheimer’s awareness
campaign should be launched.
- Difficulties with diagnosis.
Delays in detection and diagnosis
leave many without vital
information needed for preparing
for a life with Alzheimer’s disease.
Health care providers should be
encouraged to improve detection
and include an Alzheimer’s diagnosis
in an individual’s primary medical
record to create immediate,
meaningful care planning.
- Poor dementia care.
Standards in quality dementia
care should be created and
implemented to avoid poor
communication between allied
health professionals, health care
providers, and patients.
- Inadequate treatments.
Alzheimer’s must be identified as
an unmet medical need by the
Food and Drug Administration’s
accelerated drug review process
in order to create a treatment that
actually alters the course of this
terminal disease.
- Specific challenges facing
diverse communities.
Federal
effort should also focus toward
incorporating specific objectives,
strategies, and actions for diverse
communities.
- Specific challenges facing
those with younger-onset
Alzheimer’s.
Because Alzheimer’s
is believed to be a disease exclusive
to the older population, the
National Alzheimer’s Plan should
prioritize an assessment of the size
of this specific population and
ensure full and equal access to all
Alzheimer’s programs and supports.
- Unprepared caregivers.
To
alleviate the burdens of caregiving,
Alzheimer’s caregiver support
services should be made available.
- Ill-equipped communities.
Medicare should expand adult day
health services so communities
can adequately provide support,
especially in rural areas.
- Mounting costs.
Costs of
caring for Alzheimer’s only
accumulate over time; therefore,
a major driver of costs should
be addressed to federal and state
governments.
— Heather Truettner
Manager, Public Policy & Communications
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