Florida
Increase Public Awareness, Early Detection And Diagnosis
Maintain Funding for the Brain Bus Statewide Mobile Outreach Program
The Alzheimer's Association will advocate for funding for the Brain Bus program. The Brain Bus is a mobile 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 2019 session, the Brain Bus will make over 300 stops across the state of Florida this year. The Alzheimer’s Association will seek to further expand this outreach program and continue to visit those most in need of education and services. It is critical that the current level of funding remains in place 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
The Alzheimer's Association will support 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. We also support additional funding for the Community Care for the Elderly Program (CCE). 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 will advocate for legislation that protects 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 has been proposed for the 2020 session that defines “exploitation” and establishes requirements for financial professionals to monitor or delay transactions for individuals who fall under certain vulnerable populations. While Alzheimer's or other dementias are not specifically mentioned in the proposed bill, the Association is advocating for bill language to be ammended to include such provisions.
Advance Alzheimer's Policy
Increase Funding for the Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer's Research Program
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 supports the Legislative Budget Request provided by the Florida Department of Health and supported by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, requesting $5,000,000 (line item 495) in the FDOH budget to be directed to the Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer's Research Program.
Advance Alzheimer's Policy
Establish a Dementia Director Position to Ensure a Statewide Response to Alzheimer's
The Alzheimer’s Association will advocate 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 coordinator 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
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 Florida
State Affairs Contact Jon Conley | 850-566-7478 | [email protected]
Elected Officials
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Number of People Aged 65 and Older With Alzheimer's by Age
| Year | 65-74 | 75-84 | 85+ | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 87,000 | 230,000 | 240,000 | 560,000 |
| 2025 | 120,000 | 330,000 | 280,000 | 720,000 |
Percentage change from 2019
Medicaid
$2.601
BILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2019)
31.2%
change in costs from 2019 to 2025
Medicare
$28,636
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 Florida |
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.