The Colorado Alzheimer’s Coordinating Council (CACC) was authorized by the state legislature in 2008 with the passage of Senate Bill 08-058. Members included representatives from state agencies, the state legislature, care providers, family caregivers, persons living with the disease, and the Colorado Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Tasked with creating a state plan on Alzheimer’s, the CACC focused on Colorado’s current public and private capacity to address Alzheimer’s, identify service and support gaps, and make recommendations to improve the care of those living with the disease, their caregivers and their families. The Colorado State Alzheimer Disease Plan: A Roadmap for Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiving and Family Support Policies was published in November 2010.

In 2022 through a community-informed process, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and ADRD Advisory Committee released the Colorado Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) State Plan. The new State Plan outlines actions for the next five years to enhance risk reduction and early diagnosis, and to improve the lives of persons living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia and their caregivers.

Support Dementia Caregivers Through Tax Credits

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease with an impact that goes beyond those living with it. Alzheimer’s and other dementia affect entire families and can cause tremendous financial hardship. Last year, Colorado caregivers provided a total value of $7.2 billion of unpaid care for their loved ones living with Alzheimer’s. To ease the financial burden of dementia caregivers (regardless of age), the Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state lawmakers to support a tax credit for qualified caregiving expenses such as home health aides, adult day care, respite care, and transportation, among other qualified expenses.