New Mexico State Alzheimer’s Plan Overview
In 2012, the Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force established by House Memorial 20 was convened by the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department to assess and make recommendations for addressing Alzheimer’s and other dementia within the state. The Task Force included leaders of state agencies, health care providers, caregivers, individuals living with the disease, as well as representatives from academia and tribal organizations. After collecting input from the public, the Task Force published the New Mexico State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in 2013.
In 2014, the state established the State Dementia Plan Leadership Team and the Office of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care within the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department. The Leadership Team worked to determine priorities and establish subcommittees to oversee state plan implementation. In 2016, a larger group of stakeholders was convened to analyze current dementia-related data and assess the state’s progress on State Plan implementation, ultimately producing the 2017 State Plan Update.
In 2022, the state published the New Mexico State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, which reflects current and emerging trends surrounding the growing crisis of Alzheimer’s disease in the state. The updated State Plan includes thirteen goals to further address the needs of persons living with Alzheimer's and other dementia. Among the recommendations included in the plan are strengthening the dementia care workforce; establishing a Dementia Care Navigator program; and establishing dementia training standards for law enforcement and first responders.
New Mexico 2025 Policy Priorities
Support Caregivers Through a Dementia Care Specialist Program
Dementia can cause unique challenges — both for people living with the condition and their caregivers. Individuals diagnosed or caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s have to navigate a complex network of resources and benefits to meet their care needs. With over 45,000 New Mexicans living with Alzheimer’s and over 65,000 unpaid caregivers, New Mexico needs a stronger infrastructure for providing accessible support to individuals living with dementia and their caregivers. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state legislators to appropriate $1 million to establish a statewide Dementia Care Specialists Program. This program will be administered through New Mexico’s Area Agencies on Aging and will bring dementia-specific expertise to local communities. Dementia care specialists will focus on providing caregiver support and community education, increasing awareness, and building partnerships with local health care providers and practitioners.
Increase Public Awareness of Alzheimer’s in New Mexico
As New Mexico’s population ages and the number of people with dementia grows, a robust public health response is needed to mitigate the future impact of Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state policymakers to appropriate funding to establish a public awareness campaign that emphasizes the importance of risk reduction and early detection and diagnosis. The campaign would also include a focus on underserved, rural and diverse communities, particularly Native American populations across the state.
Update New Mexico’s State Plan on Alzheimer’s Disease
Addressing the Alzheimer’s and dementia crisis requires a coordinated response across state agencies and divisions within state government. Dementia’s impact is felt on state health systems, the economy, workforce, and most directly on families. With the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of treatments that slow the progression of Alzheimer’s in the early stages, the state must be ready to serve people living with dementia and prepare for a changing treatment and care landscape. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on New Mexico’s Aging and Long-Term Services Department to convene stakeholders to update and publish an updated Alzheimer’s state plan.
Ensure Quality Care for People Living with Dementia
Individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia make up a significant portion of those using long-term care services. They also have unique needs that often make care delivery and communication more challenging. Some assisted living facilities in New Mexico offer memory care units for residents living with dementia; however, there is no regular survey requirement to ensure residents receive high quality care. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state lawmakers to enact legislation to strengthen oversight of memory care through frequent surveys and improved reporting.
New Mexico State Advocacy Day
Join advocates from across New Mexico on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 to turn the Roundhouse purple for State Advocacy Day! Advocates will come together, hear from state legislators and meet with them personally to urge support for our policy priorities. We’ll provide all the tools and materials you need to effectively engage with your state legislators.
Sign Up to Learn About Advocacy Opportunities in New Mexico
Find My Chapter
Together, we’re making an impact. Find an Alzheimer’s Association chapter in your community for more ways to engage.
46,000
people living with Alzheimer’s in New Mexico
67,000
New Mexicans are providing unpaid care
$227 Million
Medicaid cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s (2020)
634
deaths from Alzheimer’s in 2021
15%
in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
244.4%
increase of geriatricians in New Mexico needed to meet the demand in 2050
Resources to Drive Change in New Mexico
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 New Mexico policymakers are addressing these gaps, and how you can help drive change.