Require Adult Care Home Employees to Receive Annual Dementia Care Training
Those with Alzheimer’s are high users of long-term care services. 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 dementia. Dementia training of those involved in the delivery of care can improve the quality of care and experiences for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on legislators to support forthcoming legislation in Kansas that will require training for adult care home employees to educate these professionals on understanding specific Alzheimer’s behaviors and needs.
Increase Support for Home and Community-Based Services
Kansans with dementia and their family caregivers rely on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) to remain in their home instead of moving to a costly long-term care community. In 2019, Kansas increased the protected income standards for HCBS to 150% of the current Supplemental Security Income (SSI) level. This means that Kansans with an income level of $1,177 or less (150% of current SSI) will meet the income eligibility standards for HCBS. While this was an important first step, more must be done to fully support people with dementia in need of these vital services. The Alzheimer’s Association will join other advocacy organizations in supporting legislation to increase the protected income level to 300% of SSI. With this change, more Kansans with dementia, including those in rural and frontier Kansas communities, will have access to the services that they need.
Kansas State Plan Overview
In May 2019 Governor Laura Kelly signed Executive Order No. 19-08, Establishing the Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force. Gov. Kelly asked the Task Force to: assess the current and future impact of Alzheimer’s disease on residents of the State of Kansas; examine the existing industries, services, and resources addressing the needs of persons with Alzheimer’s, their families, and caregivers; and develop a strategy to mobilize a state response to this public health crisis. Task Force members were appointed by either the Governor or other elected officials as listed in the Executive Order. The members were divided into committees that studied, researched and documented the following topics for the plan: Public Awareness, Access to Care, Family Caregivers, Training and Workforce, Safety and Legal, Research and Data, Dementia Care, and Rural. The Task Force met bi-monthly between the months of August and November of 2019 and in January 2020, published the 2020 Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Plan. An executive summary was also prepared.
Kansas State Advocacy Day
February 02, 2021
Please join fellow Alzheimer’s advocates on this exciting day from 3:30 to 5:00 pm via Zoom as we gather virtually DRESSED IN PURPLE, to show our elected officials that we are passionate about being the voice of those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. We will have special guest speakers, advocacy training and opportunities to meet with your state representatives. We look forward to seeing you!
