Georgia State Alzheimer’s Plan Overview
In 2013, the Georgia General Assembly established the Georgia Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias State Plan Task Force through passage of Senate Bill 14 to research the impact of the disease and develop a strategy to mobilize the state response to the growing public health threat posed by Alzheimer’s. The Task Force included representatives from state agencies, local health departments, research institutes, law enforcement, care provider associations, elder law, and community organizations as well as state legislators, caregivers, community members, and individuals directly impacted by Alzheimer’s. Building upon previous work completed by the Georgia Division of Aging Services, the Task Force solicited public input and drafted the Georgia Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias State Plan. The plan was published in June 2014.
Building off of the State Plan released in 2014, the Georgia Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (GARD) Council released an update to the GARD State Plan in 2020. The updated State Plan contains goals for the state to provide necessary services and programs for Georgians affected by dementia and cognitive decline. Among the goals include strengthening research and data; enhancing efforts to develop a dementia-capable workforce; and improving service delivery for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
Georgia 2025 Policy Priorities
Empower First Responders with Dementia Training
First responders, such as law enforcement officers, emergency medical services (EMS) workers and firefighters, often interact with people living with dementia while intervening in crisis or disaster situations. Individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia may present as uncooperative when they have difficulty communicating and understanding what is happening, and first responders may not know how to interact with individuals in these situations. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging Georgia lawmakers to mandate participation in dementia training for EMS personnel and firefighters in the continuing education curriculum developed in collaboration with the Forensic Special Initiatives Unit (FSIU) of the Division on Aging Services and Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC).
Funding for the Georgia Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) Registry
Regular collection of dementia-specific data is critical to analyzing trends over time. Through data collection and analysis, public health officials and state lawmakers can better understand the extent and impact of Alzheimer’s and other dementia on their state. During the 2014 Georgia Legislative Session, legislation to establish an ADRD Registry within the Georgia Department of Public Health was passed, and it was funded with an initial appropriation of $110,000. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state lawmakers to increase this appropriation to $600,000 to continue this critical work and allow the Georgia Department of Public Health to hire additional epidemiologists to further improve data collection.
Georgia State Advocacy Day
Join advocates on Thursday, February 6, 2025 for State Advocacy Day! Advocates will turn the Capitol purple as they meet with state legislators, urge support for our policy priorities and advocate for those impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Don't miss this chance to make a difference!
Sign Up to Learn About Advocacy Opportunities in Georgia
Find My Chapter
Together, we’re making an impact. Find an Alzheimer’s Association chapter in your community for more ways to engage.
188,300
people living with Alzheimer’s in Georgia
374,000
Georgians are providing unpaid care
$1.3 Billion
Medicaid cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s (2020)
254.5%
increase in Alzheimer’s deaths 2000-2021
21%
in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
392.0%
increase of geriatricians in Georgia needed to meet the demand in 2050
Resources to Drive Change in Georgia
The following resources developed by AIM and the Alzheimer’s Association will help you learn more about the issues impacting people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, how Georgia policymakers are addressing these gaps, and how you can help drive change.