Florida
Increase Public Awareness, Early Detection And Diagnosis
Secure Funding for the Brain Bus Statewide Mobile Outreach Program
The Alzheimer's Association in 2020 successfully advocated for continued funding for the Brain Bus program. The Brain Bus is a mobile and virtual outreach initiative which provides information on early detection and diagnosis, caregiver resources and care consultations. The Brain Bus also targets low income, rural and culturally diverse areas that may have less direct access to healthcare and Alzheimer's education. With funding from the 2020 session, the Brain Bus will make over 300 stops across the state of Florida this year. The Alzheimer’s Association as part of this funding will expand the outreach programs and continue to visit those most in need of education and services. The continued funding for this program allows the Brain Bus to reach individuals and families living with dementia across the state.
Increase Access to Home and Community-Based Services
Support Funding for Alzheimer's Respite Services
During the 2020 Legislative session in Florida, the Alzheimer's Association supported the Florida Department of Elder Affairs' Budget Recommendation for additional funds for the Alzheimer's Disease Initiative (ADI) which provides much-needed respite services for caregivers in Florida. As a result, the Legislature provided an additional $3.8 million for ADI for Fiscal year 20/21 for ADI. We also supported additional funding for the Community Care for the Elderly Program (CCE), which saw a $5.5 million increase as a result. These funds support many of the 1.1 million Floridians who provide unpaid care daily for persons with dementia and help to mitigate the rising financial burden the disease has on Florida's healthcare system.
Advance Alzheimer's Policy
Protect Vulnerable Adults from Financial Exploitation in Florida
The Alzheimer’s Association worked to support legislation that protects our seniors and individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease from entering into financial investment decisions and other vulnerable transactions that are the result of predatory behavior by outside parties. Legislation passed during the 2020 session that protects vulnerable Investors by requires securities dealers, investment advisers, & associated persons to report knowledge or suspicion of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults to the Department of Children and Families. This legislation also requirements for financial professionals to monitor or delay transactions for “specified adults” who fall under certain vulnerable populations, as defined in the existing Adult Protective Services statute.
Advance Alzheimer's Policy
Increase Funding for Research in Florida
Florida’s Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer's Research Program was established by legislation in 2014. Every year since its inception, this program has been providing grants for groundbreaking research happening in our state. The express purpose of the program is to fund research leading to the prevention of, or a cure for Alzheimer's disease by pursuing the following goals: 1. Improve the health of Floridians by researching better prevention and diagnosis of, and treatments and cures for Alzheimer's disease. 2. Expand the foundation of knowledge relating to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of Alzheimer’s disease. 3. Stimulate economic activity in Florida in areas related to Alzheimer’s disease research. The Alzheimer’s Association supported the continued funding of this program for FY 2020, which was funded at $5,000,000 (line item 495) in the FDOH budget to be directed to the Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer's Research Program. IN addition, the Association advocated for additional funding for Research at the University of Florida Health Center which received $1.5 million for operations of the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CTRND) at the University. This appropriation will go towards space renovation to accommodate the 1FLorida ADRC Brain Bank (will be matched by funds from UF) and Laboratory renovation.
Advance Alzheimer's Policy
Establish a Dementia Director Position to Ensure a Statewide Response to Alzheimer's
The Alzheimer’s Association successfully advocated for the creation of a Dementia Director position within the Department of Elder Affairs. This new position will support and coordinate efforts between the governor’s office, state agencies, the legislature, and community stakeholders to oversee timely implementation of programs and services which relate to Alzheimer’s disease. The dementia director will also assist Florida's Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Committee (ADAC) and the Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) in updating the Alzheimer’s state plan, ad promote statewide concern and awareness for this disease.
Florida State Plan Overview
In 2012, the Florida legislature passed HB 473, establishing the Purple Ribbon Task Force (PRTF) within the Department of Elder Affairs, consisting of 18 culturally diverse individuals appointed by the Governor, the President of the Florida Senate, and the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. The legislation required the PRTF to submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report of its findings and date-specific recommendations in the form of an Alzheimer's disease state plan. The state plan is based upon the January 2013 “PRTF Interim Report.” The Task Force published the Final Report and Recommendations, State Plan on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Forms of Dementia (ADRD) in August 2013. Although the legislation terminates the task force with the submission of the state plan, the findings and date-specific recommendations in the state plan provide a catalyst to mobilize a state response to this public health crisis, and a guide to modernize state policy with respect to persons having ADRD.
Florida State Advocacy Day
February 04, 2020
Florida's Annual Alzheimer's State Advocacy Day - “Rally in Tally” - hosts over 100 volunteer advocates from across the state to advocate for legislation that supports the 560,000 individuals living with Alzheimer's, and the 1.1 million caregivers providing unpaid care. Florida has the second highest prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in the country. Our state is considered “ground zero” for this healthcare crisis. That is why dedicated Alzheimer's advocates from Key West to Pensacola, and from the Gulf Coast to the East Coast, join us for this empowering and impactful two-day event. Rally in Tally includes a Purple Lighting Ceremony and Press Conference on the Historic Capitol Steps and hosts approximately 25+ legislators and over 100 advocates. On the second day, purple-sashed advocates are broken into teams that traverse the Capitol, meeting with over 80 legislators in just a day! Purple Lighting: We host a purple lighting ceremony and press conference on February 4th, where the Old Capitol will become aglow in purple. On the Capitol steps, hundreds will gather to celebrate! The following day - February 5th – we will meet with almost every state legislator in Florida to share our stories and advocate for Alzheimer's in Florida
Sign Up to Learn More About Advocacy Opportunities in Florida
State Affairs Contact Jon Conley | 850-696-0826 | [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 | 93,000 | 240,000 | 240,000 | 580,000 |
| 2025 | 120,000 | 330,000 | 280,000 | 720,000 |
Percentage change from 2020
Medicaid
$2,689
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2020)
28.4%
change in costs from 2020 to 2025
Medicare
$28,606
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)
| 6,725 | total deaths in Florida | |
| 6th | leading cause of death in Florida |
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.