Dementia awareness

My first introduction to Alzheimer’s disease was in the early ’90s when my grandmother Hazel received a diagnosis. Following my grandfather’s passing, Grandma moved in with us until her passing in the fall of ’96. During that time, not much was known about the disease, the symptoms, or the need for a support system for family caregivers. Consequently, my family navigated the challenges as caregivers on an island. In 2020, my father received a diagnosis of dementia. Alzheimer’s has a devastating impact not only on those who are living with the disease but also on their caregivers.

This past week, I joined seven other advocates from central Arkansas at the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement Advocacy Forum, held annually in Washington, D.C. Last Tuesday, more than 700 Alzheimer’s Association advocates from across the country held over 500 meetings on Capitol Hill to raise awareness about dementia and to share their stories of how this disease has affected their families.

The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), unanimously approved by Congress in 2010 and signed into law in 2011, required the Department of Health and Human Services to create a national strategic plan addressing the escalating Alzheimer’s crisis and to update it annually. Congress must continue to prioritize its response to dementia by reauthorizing NAPA, which is set to expire in 2035.

We want to thank Sen. John Boozman and his staff for listening to our stories and for his support in this cause. Please join me and the Alzheimer’s Association in encouraging Senator Boozman to continue to support policies, such as NAPA, that address the national public-health crisis of Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.

To learn more about how you can join the fight to end Alzheimer’s, visit alzimpact.org.

DAVID COOK Shirley