In June 2008, the South Carolina General Assembly created the Purple Ribbon Task Force by passing Senate Concurrent Resolution 1333 to study the current and future impact of Alzheimer’s disease within the state, assess resources for those impacted by Alzheimer’s, and develop a strategy to meet the needs of South Carolinians. Housed in the lieutenant governor’s Office on Aging, the Purple Ribbon Task Force included representatives from state health and aging agencies, law enforcement, research institutions, long-term care agencies as well as health care providers and state legislators. In March 2009, the Task Force published Conquering the Specter of Alzheimer’s Disease in South Carolina. Following a 14 year gap since the previous publication, the state Alzheimer’s plan for 2023-2028 was developed after a six-month planning and data collection period. The Alzheimer’s Resource Coordination Center (ARCC) Advisory Council served as the statewide representative coalition of experts and stakeholders throughout the planning process. Following the publication of the state plan, SB 0569 (Act No. 53 of 2023) was enacted, requiring the ARCC Advisory Council to maintain and update the state plan every five years and submit an annual report to the governor and general assembly concerning progress towards fulfilling the state plan.

Improve Quality of Care Through Dementia Training 

People living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia have unique needs that often make care delivery and communication more challenging. Dementia training of those involved in the delivery of care can improve the quality of care and experiences for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state officials to establish dementia training requirements for the Long Term Care Ombudsman and Vulnerable Adult Guardian ad Litem programs. Training should include instruction on subjects such as understanding the basics of Alzheimer’s and other dementia, communication techniques, and dementia-related behaviors.