Arkansas
Increase Access to Home and Community-Based Services
Supporting Individuals with Cognitive Impairments
Home and community-based services are frequently requested by Arkansans and are less expensive than nursing home care. The Alzheimer's Association is advocating for expanding the state's existing home care programs to allow more individuals with Alzheimer's or other dementias living throughout Arkansas to have access to affordable, high quality care in their community.
Advance Alzheimer's Policy
Update the Arkansas State Alzheimer's Plan
In 2011 Arkansas published its first state Alzheimer's plan. It is time for the state to conduct a comprehensive and current needs assessment of the state of the disease in Arkansas. It is critical that the Arkansas Department of Health to establishes a statewide coalition of key stakeholders to conduct a needs assessment, seek public input, and produce a new set of recommendations that address issues such as access to care, improving cognitive health, and ensuring that ALL Arkansans have access to clinicians who can properly diagnose this disease.
Arkansas State Plan Overview
In 2009, the Task Force on the Effect of Alzheimer's Disease in Arkansas was established via House Bill 1014 to bring together caregivers, public health officials, patient advocates, and community leaders to tackle a range of Alzheimer's issues. After collecting public feedback to inform the plan's recommendations, the Task Force published The Task Force on the Effect of Alzheimer's Disease in Arkansas Final Report in 2011.
Arkansas State Advocacy Day
February 26, 2019
Join advocates from across the state as they gather in Little Rock to raise awareness and share with state lawmakers the many ways they have been impacted by Alzheimer's. Advocates will have the opportunity to meet with their elected officials, sit in on committee meetings, and attend a press conference with state agency officials and legislators to bring awareness to the impact of Alzheimer's on the state of Arkansas. This is your opportunity to impact policy decisions at the state level and make sure your voice is heard. REGISTER HERE: http://tinyurl.com/y4lxgqka
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 Arkansas
State Affairs Contact David Cook | 5012531931 | [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 | 9,600 | 25,000 | 22,000 | 57,000 |
| 2025 | 11,000 | 31,000 | 24,000 | 67,000 |
Percentage change from 2019
Medicaid
$367
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2019)
22.3%
change in costs from 2019 to 2025
Medicare
$21,782
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 Arkansas |
| 10th | highest Alzheimer's death rate in America |
| 234% | 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.