Support a Statewide Alzheimer's Public Awareness Campaign
Currently, only 50% of those living with Alzheimer's disease receive a formal diagnosis. In New Jersey, an estimated 190,000 New Jersey residents are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and that number is expected to grow by 10.5% by 2025. The under diagnosis of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease needs to change. Educating clinicians, health professionals and the public on the early warning signs of Alzheimer's and other dementias and the importance of a timely diagnosis is the first step in ensuring that anyone diagnosed with this disease can benefit from future treatments, care planning and clinical trials. The Alzheimer’s Association will urge state lawmakers to support legislation that will prioritize and include Alzheimer’s in statewide public awareness campaigns to increase education among the public and health care providers on the benefits of early detection and diagnosis, risk reduction, and care planning.
Build a Dementia-Capable Workforce in New Jersey
Individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias have unique needs that often make care delivery, communication and interaction more challenging and demanding. Direct care workers in long-term care settings, in-home services and adult day settings often do not have sufficient dementia-specific knowledge to effectively support those living with the disease. At the same time, adult protective services workers, law enforcement and first responders are among the first to be contacted and interact regarding emergencies, abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. State policymakers in New Jersey need to address the importance of ensuring our state's workforce is dementia-capable. The Alzheimer’s Association will urge legislators to require competency-based dementia training for all direct care workers and dementia-specific training for adult protective service workers, law enforcement personnel and first responders.
New Jersey State Plan Overview
In June 2011, the New Jersey Alzheimer's Disease Study Commission was established with the enactment of Senate Bill 125 to study the current and future impact and incidence of Alzheimer's disease within the state. The Commission was tasked with making recommendations for improving, expanding, and improving services within the state to meet the needs of those affected by Alzheimer's and included representatives from state agencies, direct service providers, long-term care providers, community organizations, and the faith communities as well as state legislators, caregivers, and those living with the disease. The New Jersey Alzheimer's Disease Study Commission Report was published in August 2016.
New Jersey State Advocacy Day
April 12, 2022
Make a difference for the 190,000 New Jerseyans living with Alzheimer's and their families. Join advocates statewide for New Jersey Virtual State Advocacy Day on Tuesday, April 12 from 9- 10:30 a.m. Hear directly from key legislators and influential state leaders and learn how to use your voice to advocate for state policy change to improve the lives of all impacted by dementia..
