Alabama
Build a Dementia-Capable Workforce
Require Dementia Training for all Direct Care Providers
Alzheimer's affect people living in all 67 of Alabama's counties, and expanding training for those who serve Alabamians living with dementia will help produce better outcomes for patients in every single county. Alabama needs to require competency-based dementia training for all direct service, administrative, supervisory, and other staff who are involved in the delivery of care to those with Alzheimer's and other dementias in licensed long-term care facilities, the home, and adult day settings.
Build a Dementia-Capable Workforce
Require Dementia Training for First Responders and Adult Protective Services Workers
First responders are on the front lines of those who can help identify and address cognitive impairment. We need to equip Alabama's first responders and adult protective services workers with the tools and training they need to recognize people with dementia. Such training will result in more effective intervention in cases involving the abuse and exploitation of individuals who are cognitively impaired. Legislation modeled after recommendations by the Alabama Silver Haired Legislature to address this issue will be introduced during the 2019 Regular Session.
Alabama State Plan Overview
In May 2012, the Alabama Alzheimer's Disease Task Force was established (Alabama House Joint Resolution 433). The Task Force was charged with assessing the impact of Alzheimer's disease, examining the existing service delivery system, and developing strategies to respond to this crisis within the state. The Task Force included representatives from state agencies, healthcare organizations, and community organizations as well as state legislators, caregivers, researchers, and individuals living with the disease. In April 2015, the State Plan for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementias in Alabama was published.
Alabama State Advocacy Day
April 30, 2019
Please join us for the Alabama State Advocacy Day on April 30, 2019 – a unique state advocacy experience where you will meet with state legislators, tell your story and explain why it is important for them to make Alzheimer’s issues a top priority! Working together with Alabama lawmakers from every part of the state, we can make a difference and improve the lives of Alabamians who are living with Alzheimer's or other dementias. Your voice is critical to raising awareness and and addressing Alzheimer's as a public health crisis. REGISTER TODAY: http://tinyurl.com/yypktdkl
2020 Advocacy Forum
March 22-24, 2020 alz.org/forum
As an Alzheimer's advocate, you've worked to advance critical public policy, making a difference in the lives of all those impacted by Alzheimer's. Together we've achieved great increases in federal Alzheimer's research funding and secured critical advances in care and support. But we can't take our successes for granted — we need to keep the pressure on.
Join us in Washington for an inspiring three-day event filled with networking, training and education.
Be part of the movement that's making a difference in the fight against Alzheimer's.
Sign Up to Learn More About Advocacy Opportunities in Alabama
State Affairs Contact Sharon Wheeler | 3342206857 | [email protected]
Elected Officials
Enter your address here to see your elected officials' positions on Alzheimer's and ways you can contact them to support the Alzheimer's community.
Number of People Aged 65 and Older With Alzheimer's by Age
| Year | 65-74 | 75-84 | 85+ | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 16,000 | 42,000 | 37,000 | 94,000 |
| 2025 | 18,000 | 52,000 | 41,000 | 110,000 |
Percentage change from 2019
Medicaid
$896
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2019)
24.4%
change in costs from 2019 to 2025
Medicare
$22,075
per capita Medicare spending on people with dementia (in 2018 dollars)
HOSPICE (2016)
#
of people in hospice have a primary diagnosis of dementia
of people in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
Hospitals (2015)
#
of emergency department visits per 1,000 people with dementia
dementia patient hospital readmission rate
Caregiving
Number of Caregivers
Total Hours of Unpaid Care
Total Value of Unpaid Care
Higher Health Costs of Caregivers
Number of Deaths from Alzheimer's Disease (2017)
| 6th | leading cause of death in Alabama |
| 3rd | highest Alzheimer's death rate in America |
| 186% | increase in Alzheimer's deaths since 2000 |
For more information, view the 2019 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report at alz.org/facts.
U.S. Statistics
Over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, and as many as 14 million will have the disease in 2050. The cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's and other dementias is estimated to total $290 billion in 2019, increasing to $1.1 trillion (in today's dollars) by mid-century. Nearly one in every three seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer's or another dementia.