Oklahoma
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Improve the Oversight of Memory Care Facilities
Current law requires that long-term care communities that promote themselves as providing care or treatment to people with dementia in a special unit or through a special program must disclose their services and staffing detail among other details. However, without an enforcement mechanism in state law, many consumers have been unable to ensure they are selecting the appropriate long-term care community for their loved one with dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state officials to ensure there is sufficient oversight and accountability in this disclosure process in order to enable families to select the appropriate community for their loved one with dementia.
Equip Oklahoma with a Dementia-Capable Workforce
Individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementia have unique needs that often make care delivery, communication and interaction more challenging and demanding. Yet direct care workers in Oklahoma may not receive the most up to date information on best practices to care for this population due to the lack of a standardized curriculum. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging all stakeholders, including the Department of Health, to adopt minimum standards for direct care worker training and incorporating the evidence-based Dementia Care Practice Recommendations to ensure all Oklahomans with dementia receive high quality care.
Urge the Oklahoma Department of Health to Prioritize Dementia
With more than 67,000 Oklahomans living with Alzheimer's and 226,000 supporting them as family caregivers, Alzheimer's is a public health crisis in Oklahoma. However, many state efforts around dementia are siloed. Active coordination between all state agencies, the governor, the legislature, and community stakeholders will ensure that Oklahoma is addressing Alzheimer’s as a public health crisis, enable greater implementation of the State Plan and reduce the long-term impact of the disease on the state budget while improving the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers. The Alzheimer’s Association is supporting efforts to update the State Alzheimer’s Plan and appoint a full-time dementia coordinator within the Department of Health to oversee this work.
Oklahoma State Plan Overview
In May 2008, the Task Force on the Effect of Alzheimer's Disease was established pursuant to Senate Bill 2186. Tasked with examining the impact of Alzheimer's disease and mapping a plan of action within the state, the Task Force included representatives from the private sector, community organizations, and state agencies as well as caregivers, state legislators, and individuals living with Alzheimer's. In September 2009 The Final Report of the Task Force on the Effect of Alzheimer's Disease in Oklahoma was published. In 2015, Governor Mary Fallin issued Executive Order 2015-32 to authorize an update to the state plan. The Oklahoma Alzheimer's State Plan 2016 was published in February 2016.
Oklahoma State Advocacy Day
March 09, 2021
Join fellow Alzheimer’s advocates for an exciting virtual advocacy day urging Oklahoma’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 oversight in the delivery of memory care to people with dementia. Our advocacy day will mix 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 Oklahoma
State Affairs Contact Randle Lee | 405-819-3427 | [email protected]
Number of People Aged 65 and Older With Alzheimer's by Age
| Year | 65-74 | 75-84 | 85+ | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 11,000 | 29,000 | 26,000 | 67,000 |
| 2025 | 12,000 | 36,000 | 28,000 | 76,000 |
Percentage change from 2020
Medicaid
$516
MILLION
Medicaid costs of caring for people with Alzheimer's (2020)
18.3%
change in costs from 2020 to 2025
Medicare
$26,351
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)
| 1,739 | total deaths in Oklahoma | |
| 6th | leading cause of death in Oklahoma | |
| 173% | increase in Alzheimer's deaths since 2000 |
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.