District of Columbia
Increase Public Awareness, Early Detection And Diagnosis
Support the Collection and Dissemination of Cognitive Decline and Caregiver Data
The D.C. Department of Health now receives annual funding to include the Cognitive Decline and Caregiver Modules in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Study (BRFSS) survey to understand the impact and burden of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline on the state level in the District. It is critical that stakeholders work with D.C.'s public health officials to evaluate efforts at the local level and to disseminate the data to ensure timely solutions are implemented to meet the current and future needs of people living with Alzheimer's.
Build a Dementia-Capable Workforce
Support the Adoption of Dementia Training Standards
Individuals with Alzheimer’s have needs that often make care delivery challenging and more demanding. Care workers often do not have sufficient dementia-specific knowledge to effectively support those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. A cornerstone of providing quality dementia care is to ensure that all professional care staff involved in the delivery of care to people with dementia receive dementia-specific training. Dementia-specific training is essential to ensure a better skilled and more capable workforce to care for those with Alzheimer's. Legislation has been introduced before D.C.'s Council that aims to require training standards for all direct care workers including assisted living, nursing home, and home health care workers. It is critical that these dementia training standards are adopted to improve the quality of care and experiences for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Advance Alzheimer's Policy
Support the District's First-Ever Dementia Services Coordinator
The growing impact of Alzheimer's on the District emphasized the need for a point person within city government to ensure active coordination between all city agencies, the mayor, the council, and community stakeholders, addressing Alzheimer’s as a public health crisis and reducing the long-term impact of the disease on the city's budget while improving the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers. In 2019 the city enacted legislation that established a dementia coordinator position with D.C.'s Department of Health implement and update D.C.'s Alzheimer's Plan. It is critical that D.C.'s Department of Health fills this position as soon possible.
Advance Alzheimer's Policy
Update the District's Plan for Alzheimer's
49 states and the District of Columbia have put Alzheimer's State Plans into place. D.C.'s first plan to address Alzheimer's was published in 2014 and expired in 2019. Once D.C.'s Department of Health fills the newly established Dementia Services Coordinator position to oversee the update of the District's Alzheimer's Plan it is critical that stakeholders convene to collaborate with the council, the mayor, and city agencies on setting a course for how we address Alzheimer's in the District for the next five years.
District of Columbia State Plan Overview
In 2012 the District of Columbia Office on Aging (DCOA) established a workgroup of community partners and stakeholders throughout the District to develop an Alzheimer's plan. In 2013, the District of Columbia State Plan on Alzheimer's Disease 2014-2019 was published to mitigate the effects of Alzheimer's disease and improve access to benefits for those affected within the District.
District of Columbia State Advocacy Day
April 21, 2020
Join us for the Alzheimer's Association DC Advocacy Day! Advocate! Take the opportunity to engage members of the City Council and their staff about public policy issues related to Alzheimer’s, and how we can affect change to find Alzheimer’s first survivor.
Sign Up to Learn More About Advocacy Opportunities in District of Columbia
State Affairs Contact Eric Colchamiro | 202-365-6612 | [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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 | 9,000 |
| 2025 | 1,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 | 9,000 |
Percentage change from 2020
Medicaid
$126
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2020)
6.8%
change in costs from 2020 to 2025
Medicare
$31,993
per capita Medicare spending on people with dementia (in 2019 dollars)
HOSPICE (2017)
#
of people in hospice have a primary diagnosis of dementia
of people in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
Geriatricians
Number of geriatricians in 2019
increase needed to meet Alzheimer's population needs in 2050
Hospitals (2017)
#
of emergency department visits per 1,000 people with dementia
dementia patient hospital readmission rate
increase in emergency deparment visits since 2007
Caregiving
Number of Caregivers
Total Hours of Unpaid Care
Total Value of Unpaid Care
Number of Deaths from Alzheimer's Disease (2018)
| 105 | total deaths in District of Columbia |
For more information, view the 2020 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 13.8 million will have the disease in 2050. The cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's and other dementias is estimated to total $305 billion in 2020, increasing to $1.1 trillion (in today's dollars) by mid-century. Nearly 1 in 3 seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer's or another dementia.