Nevada
Increase Public Awareness, Early Detection And Diagnosis
Promote Dementia Competency
There is growing need in Nevada to educate on dementia and build competency as more individuals provide care in the state. In 2017, 149,000 Nevadans of a person with Alzheimer’s disease provided 169,000,000,000 hours of unpaid care. Health care providers are the gatekeepers to assessment and treatment, as well as potential links and referrals to community resources. These vital resources can provide support, services, and education for patients, caregivers, and families. As we work to promote dementia competency, we are seeking support from the Division of Public & Behavioral Health to educate providers on the value of early detection and diagnosis of cognitive impairment as well as the cognitive assessment tools and the new Medicare billing code. 2019 Key Policy Objectives: -Support dementia training & education for providers among the continuum of services. -Incentivize providers to serve persons with dementia in rural areas.
Increase Public Awareness, Early Detection And Diagnosis
Bolster Public Awareness on Dementia
Increasing public awareness on Alzheimer’s is imperative considering that the prevalence of this disease will grow 49% between 2017 and 2025 impacting 64,000 Nevadans. It is crucial to improve early detection in the state when faced with 1 in 6 Nevadans over age 45 who experience cognitive decline that is significant enough to interfere with their daily life. To address this challenge, actions include ensuring that the public and health care providers are aware of the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s dementia and proper disease management. It is also important to educate health care providers on early detection & diagnosis and assessing cognition during Medicare Annual Wellness Visit. In Nevada, we plan to work closely with the Division of Public & Behavioral Health (DPBH) to secure funding within their budget specifically to launch a widespread public health campaign that would raise awareness on Alzheimer’s disease; early detection, and race and health disparities among diverse communities at greater risk for dementia. In addition to the Public Awareness Campaign, Nevada will pursue either administrative action or legislation through the Nevada Legislature to ensure the inclusion of Alzheimer’s disease within the budget and to enable DPBH to implement components of the Healthy Brain Initiative. 2019 Policy Objectives: -Improve early detection, diagnosis, and disease management. -Promote early warning signs of Alzheimer's and other dementias through culturally appropriate education.
Increase Access to Home and Community-Based Services
Support Family Caregivers and Increase Access to Respite Services under the Independent Living Grant
Assisting caregivers was a key policy issue for Nevada in 2017 and although strides have been made, it is critical that we continue and expand our efforts. Improving care for persons with dementia requires expanding access to respite and other community-based services, which will reduce costs and enhance caregiver well-being. Policy change that needs to occur includes legislation to expand availability of respite and/or other community support services from which persons living with dementia benefit. 2019 Key Policy Objectives: 1. Increase the amount awarded to family caregivers for respite services under the Independent Living Grant a. BDR #101 (Senator Ratti) – the Commission on Aging Legislative Subcommittee is sponsoring this eventual bill, which will contain a provision to increase the Independent Living Grant respite award from $1,000 to $1,200 over the course of three years. 2. Work with the Aging and Disability Services Division to explore possible new sources of funding, given the sunset of tobacco settlement funds.
Nevada State Plan Overview
The Nevada state legislature passed Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 10 in 2011, creating the Legislative Committee on Health Care's Task Force to Develop a State Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease. The Committee included a state Senator as chair and medical experts, advocates, and other key stakeholders. After soliciting public feedback, the State Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease was published in January 2013. The Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease (TFAD) was created within the Department of Health and Human Services with the passage of Assembly Bill 80 in the 2013 Legislative Session. The Task Force is responsible for implementing the State Plan.
Nevada State Advocacy Day
April 16, 2019
The Alzheimer's Association invites you to lend your voice to the over 43,000 Nevadans living with Alzheimer's disease by participating in this year's Alzheimer's Advocacy Day at the State Capitol. At Advocacy Day, you will spend the morning learning all about our state policy priorities, what the implications are for families affected by Alzheimer's, and how to ask your state legislators to support these priorities. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to meet with your legislators and tell your personal story while asking for their support. To register for Advocacy Day, please call Zack at 775-786-8061.
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 Nevada
State Affairs Contact Anakaren Lamas | 775-786-8061 | [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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 9,400 | 22,000 | 15,000 | 47,000 |
| 2025 | 12,000 | 31,000 | 20,000 | 64,000 |
Percentage change from 2019
Medicaid
$185
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2019)
48.5%
change in costs from 2019 to 2025
Medicare
$32,006
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 Nevada |
| 300% | increase in Alzheimer's deaths since 2000 |
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.