Minnesota
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.
Build a Dementia-Capable Workforce
Support Dementia Training for First Responders
Police officers, paramedics and firefighters have frequent interactions with individuals who have Alzheimer’s and other dementias in a variety of settings and often in crisis situations. Many of these professionals have little or no formal training to prepare them for the unique physical, behavioral, and communication issues related to dementia. Legislative action is needed to allocate resources for first responders to be trained in the recognition of individuals with Alzheimer's and the ability to secure the safety of abused and exploited people with dementia.
Increase Access to Home and Community-Based Services
Expand Access to Caregiver Resources
To ensure that people living with dementia can stay in their homes and stay active in their communities for as long as possible, it is important to support their unpaid caregivers as well. Programs like respite care, in-home services, adult day centers and transportation services can be critical to keeping someone in their home. We will work with stakeholders on legislation to provide additional funding for community support programs, which assist family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias by providing respite for caregivers and social interaction for participants.
Minnesota State Plan Overview
In 2017 the Minnesota Legislature (2017 Session Law) called on the Minnesota Board on Aging to reconvene the Alzheimer's Disease Working Group (ADWG) to review and revise the 2011 report, Preparing Minnesota for Alzheimer's: the Budgetary, Social and Personal Impacts. The ADWG was appointed in late 2017 and met throughout 2018. Like the first work group created in 2009 when the Minnesota Legislature first charged the Minnesota Board on Aging to create a plan, this working group made recommendations for policies and programs that would prepare Minnesota for the future. The 2018 work group was led by a Minnesotan who is living with mild cognitive impairment and included health care providers, family caregivers, researchers, representatives from state and local health and human services agencies. The ADWG gathered expert research and background information and solicited input from the general public. The Alzheimer's Disease Working Group Legislative Report was published in January 2019 and presented to the Minnesota Legislature.
Minnesota State Advocacy Day
April 02, 2020
Based on the guidance from local public health agencies, the Alzheimer’s Association’s Minnesota Rally Day at the Minnesota Capitol will not be held as planned for April 2, 2020. We are evaluating our options for alternate means to continue to pursue our policy priorities through advocacy. Please stay tuned for more information as we develop these plans.
Sign Up to Learn More About Advocacy Opportunities in Minnesota
State Affairs Contact Beth McMullen | | [email protected]
Number of People Aged 65 and Older With Alzheimer's by Age
| Year | 65-74 | 75-84 | 85+ | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 14,000 | 41,000 | 44,000 | 99,000 |
| 2025 | 17,000 | 51,000 | 48,000 | 120,000 |
Percentage change from 2020
Medicaid
$905
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2020)
20.1%
change in costs from 2020 to 2025
Medicare
$22,830
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)
| 2,436 | total deaths in Minnesota | |
| 4th | leading cause of death in Minnesota |
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.