Secure Funding for a Dementia Coordinator Position

Washington is home to 126,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s and 247,000 unpaid caregivers. By 2025, the number of Washingtonians living with Alzheimer’s is estimated to increase by 16.7%. As the population with dementia grows, coordination between state agencies that administer programs for people living with dementia and their caregivers is crucial. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state legislators to appropriate $168,000 in state funding for the establishment of a full-time state agency position that will coordinate the state’s dementia initiatives within the Department of Health. This position will oversee implementation of the State Alzheimer’s Plan and serve as a liaison between state agencies, the governor, the legislature, and private sector stakeholders to ensure the state has a coordinated and effective approach toward addressing Alzheimer’s and other dementia.

Expand Dementia Awareness Across Washington State 

Washington currently administers a dementia awareness program in 20 counties throughout the state. Current state funding for the program is inadequate to meet the existing needs of Washingtonians throughout other areas of the state, and this shortfall will only grow as the population with dementia continues to increase in Washington. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state lawmakers to appropriate an additional $50,000 in state funding per year for the expansion of the dementia awareness program to the remaining counties in Washington — most of which are rural and underserved. With the historic approval of treatments that slow the progression of Alzheimer’s in the early stages, understanding the early signs of dementia and receiving an early diagnosis is more important than ever.