Delaware
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Increase Public Awareness, Early Detection And Diagnosis
Increasing Public Awareness of Alzheimer’s – Early Detection and Diagnosis
Early detection allows for the best opportunity to receive better medical care, enhance health outcomes, plan for future needs, and secure medical desires and wishes. Even without a way to cure or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, early detection allows individuals and their caregivers greater access to available treatments and support services, as well as the opportunity to enroll in clinical trials. We support an appropriation by the Delaware legislature that will establish and Alzheimer’s and dementia public health campaign in partnership with community groups and consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Healthy Brain Initiative, which established a nationwide framework for addressing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Build a Dementia-Capable Workforce
Dementia Training for First Responders
Law enforcement and first responders are critical to the health and safety of people living with Alzheimer’s disease. First responders frequently interact with individuals who have dementia in a variety of settings and are among the first to observe instances of abuse and neglect. Without proper training on the unique needs of people with dementia, situations may escalate quickly with potentially dangerous consequences. We support forthcoming legislation in Delaware that will require training for law enforcement and first responders that would educate these professionals on understanding specific behavior symptoms, effective communication strategies, protocols for contacting caregivers and available local resources.
Delaware State Plan Overview
In early 2012 the Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter coordinated a meeting with Governor Jack Markell, Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services Rita Landgraf, and Director of the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD) Bill Love. During the meeting, there was a consensus about the importance of mapping out a strategy to address Alzheimer's disease in Delaware, and a decision was made to begin working on the development of an Alzheimer's state plan. The Alzheimer's Association and DSAAPD established a Task Force, comprised of caregivers, advocates, and professionals representing a broad range of organizations. With support from DSAAPD staff, the Task Force published the Delaware State Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders in December 2013.
Delaware State Advocacy Day
June 17, 2020
This year's Delaware Advocacy Day will be a Virtual Day of Action. Check back for details!
Sign Up to Learn More About Advocacy Opportunities in Delaware
State Affairs Contact Katie Macklin | | [email protected]
Number of People Aged 65 and Older With Alzheimer's by Age
| Year | 65-74 | 75-84 | 85+ | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,000 | 9,000 | 7,000 | 19,000 |
| 2025 | 4,000 | 11,000 | 8,000 | 23,000 |
Percentage change from 2020
Medicaid
$253
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2020)
23.6%
change in costs from 2020 to 2025
Medicare
$28,260
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)
| 412 | total deaths in Delaware | |
| 6th | leading cause of death in Delaware | |
| 275% | increase in Alzheimer's deaths since 2000 |
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.