Pennsylvania State Alzheimer’s Plan Overview
In February 2013, Governor Tom Corbett issued Executive Order 2013-01 to establish the Pennsylvania Alzheimer’s Disease Planning Committee. The committee included a Pennsylvanian living with Alzheimer’s disease, family members and caregivers of people living with dementia, the aging network, other state agencies, providers from across the care continuum, leading researchers in pursuit of a cure and better care, and members of the legislature. Chaired by the secretary of the Department of Aging, the Planning Committee gathered public input from across the state to inform their recommendations. The Pennsylvania State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders was published in February 2014. The Department of Aging is currently focused on the implementation of the state plan and hosts an Annual Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Forum each fall.
Pennsylvania 2025 Policy Priorities
Improve Quality of Home Care Through Dementia Training
People living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia face unique health care needs. A cornerstone of providing quality dementia care is dementia-specific training for home health care staff. Home health aides, however, often do not have sufficient knowledge on dementia to effectively support those living with dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation requiring a dementia-specific training requirement for direct care workers employed by Home Care Agencies and Home Care Registries in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania State Advocacy Day
Join advocates from across the Commonwealth on Tuesday May 13, 2025 for State Advocacy Day! Advocates will come together to turn the Capitol purple as they share stories, speak with lawmakers, and urge support of our critical priorities to address the growing public health crisis that is Alzheimer’s and other dementia.
Sign Up to Learn About Advocacy Opportunities in Pennsylvania
Find My Chapter
Together, we’re making an impact. Find an Alzheimer’s Association chapter in your community for more ways to engage.
282,100
people living with Alzheimer’s in Pennsylvania
465,000
Pennsylvanians are providing unpaid care
$3.7 Billion
Medicaid cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s (2020)
4,109
deaths from Alzheimer’s in 2021
17%
in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
120.1%
increase of geriatricians in Pennsylvania needed to meet the demand in 2050
Resources to Drive Change in Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania policymakers are addressing these gaps, and how you can help drive change.