The State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease in Oregon (SPADO) Task Force was formed in 2010, coordinated by the Alzheimer’s Association Oregon Chapter. The Task Force included state government agencies, academic researchers, health care providers, family caregivers, state legislators and nonprofit organizations. Charged with drafting recommendations to address the most critical needs of Oregonians impacted by Alzheimer's disease and other dementia, the Task Force gathered public input to inform the proposed recommendations. The State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Oregon was published in July 2012 and signed by Governor John Kitzhaber. In March 2013, the Oregon legislature endorsed SPADO by unanimously supporting Senate Concurrent Resolution 1. The SPADO Steering Committee works with public and private sector stakeholders to improve the state's response to community needs associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and implement the recommendations provided in the state plan.

Improve Consumer Protections for Long-Term Care Residents 

Individuals living with Alzheimer’s make up a significant portion of long-term care residents, yet families often lack the critical data needed to choose safe, high-quality care. Currently, vital quality metrics — such as staff retention, dementia training compliance, fall rates, and off-label antipsychotic use — are collected by the state but excluded from public search tools. This lack of transparency limits a family’s ability to make informed decisions. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state lawmakers to enact legislation requiring the integration of these Residential Care Quality Measurement Program metrics into the public-facing tools, ensuring families can compare memory care communities to make informed care decisions.

Ensure Oregon is Prepared to Address Alzheimer’s 

Oregon is home to over 79,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s and their 192,000 unpaid caregivers. As these numbers grow, the state’s public health strategy must evolve to reflect the latest science. Recent research from the Alzheimer’s Association U.S. POINTER Study demonstrates that lifestyle interventions — including healthy nutrition, physical exercise, cognitive engagement, and health monitoring — can significantly support brain health. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division to prioritize these findings by explicitly incorporating brain health and dementia into the updated Health Promotion & Chronic Disease Prevention Strategic Plan.