Ohio
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.
Equip Ohio with a Dementia-Capable Workforce
First responders are critical to the health and safety of people living with Alzheimer’s. They frequently interact with individuals who have dementia in a variety of settings and are among the first to observe instances of abuse and neglect. Without proper training on how to recognize the signs of dementia and how to effectively communicate with people with dementia, situations may escalate quickly with potentially dangerous consequences. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on legislators to support legislation in Ohio that will require training for emergency medical services workers to educate these professionals on understanding specific behavior symptoms, effective communication strategies, protocols for contacting caregivers and available local resources.
Support Dementia Caregivers by Protecting the Alzheimer’s Respite Care Program
Over 604,000 Ohioans are providing unpaid care to loved ones with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia thus enabling a large portion of the 220,000 people living with dementia in the state to live in the community, instead of moving into more costly residential long-term care. In cases where finances are tight, Ohio’s funding of Alzheimer’s respite care can step in with limited but critical respite support. The Program funds can help provide occasional adult day care services or a personal care aide in the home a few times a month allowing the family caregiver to address their own medical issues and complete tasks outside of the home. Without these funds, many caregivers risk worsening their own health. While the upcoming budget will be tight, it is critical that legislators protect the Alzheimer’s respite care funds from any cuts to support family caregivers.
Ohio State Plan Overview
Following the enactment of S.B. 24 in 2019, Ohio created the Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias Task Force which will be responsible for creating Ohio’s first State Alzheimer’s Plan. The Task Force is charged with conducting a needs assessment and examining opportunities around public health, early detection and diagnosis, workforce, home and community-based services and quality of care. A plan is anticipated to be published in August of 2021.
Ohio State Advocacy Day
April 14, 2021
Join fellow Alzheimer’s advocates for an exciting day of virtual advocacy urging Ohio’s state lawmakers to support people with dementia and their families. We will have a series of informative and engaging virtual events with state government leaders to highlight the urgent need for dementia training for first responders and ongoing funding for critical respite services for dementia caregivers. On April 14th, we will host an engaging day of storytelling, advocacy training and direct engagement with your state government representatives. And we will all wear purple to unify us in our virtual efforts!
Sign Up to Learn More About Advocacy Opportunities in Ohio
State Affairs Contact Trey Addison | 937-470-1033 | [email protected]
Number of People Aged 65 and Older With Alzheimer's by Age
| Year | 65-74 | 75-84 | 85+ | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 35,000 | 97,000 | 92,000 | 220,000 |
| 2025 | 39,000 | 120,000 | 97,000 | 250,000 |
Percentage change from 2020
Medicaid
$2,534
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2020)
16.0%
change in costs from 2020 to 2025
Medicare
$26,502
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)
| 5,391 | total deaths in Ohio | |
| 6th | leading cause of death in Ohio |
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.