The Alzheimer’s Association Georgia Chapter will join more than 1,000 advocates from around the country March 31 – April 2 in Washington, D.C. for the Alzheimer's Association AIM Advocacy Forum, the nation's premier advocacy event to raise awareness and increase legislative support for policies that will improve the lives of 5.8 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, including 150,000 individuals and their 533,000 caregivers in Georgia.

Georgia advocates will convene March 31 – April 2 on Capitol Hill for meetings with Represenative Jody Hice, R-GA and staff to discuss the real-life impact of legislative policies focused on providing researchers, healthcare professionals, caregivers and individuals with the educational tools and resources necessary to meaningfully combat Alzheimer’s disease.

“This will be the first Alzheimer’s Assocation AIM Forum since my daddy passed away with Alzheimer’s disease in October 2018”, added Tammy Kay Brunson, District 10 resident and Alzheimer’s advocate. “I’ll still be wearing a picture of him with my mama, his wife of sixty years, but this year it will be “in memory of” instead of “in honor of.” I will continue to advocate for those with this devastating  disease and their loving caregivers until a cure can be found”.

In particular, advocates will urge their members of Congress to support $350 million in federal funding for Alzheimer’s research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where — despite historic increases since the passage of the 2010 National Alzheimer’s Project Act — researchers report current funding falls far short of what’s needed to ensure the disease no longer ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

Advocates will also call on Congress to appropriate $20 million in FY20 to fund the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (P.L. 115-406), the amount necessary to effectively implement the legislation which was signed into law on December 31, 2018.  The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act will create the much-needed public health infrastructure to implement effective Alzheimer’s interventions — including increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.

“The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act will establish Alzheimer’s Centers of Excellence to expand and promote effective Alzheimer’s interventions by providing state and local public health departments with the funding and resources needed to promote cognitive health and disease awareness, while also supporting the needs of caregivers and individuals living with the disease across Georgia and the country,” explained Linda Davidson, Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter.

The CDC is preparing implementation of the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act; however, determinations on awards for the Centers of Excellence and grants to public health departments cannot happen until the Centers receive the FY20 funds appropriated by Congress.

In the meantime, Alzheimer’s remains the most expensive disease in America, with costs set skyrocket in the years ahead. In 2019, the total payments for caring for Americans aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s or other dementias will surpass a quarter of a trillion dollars ($290 billion).

Equally devastating is Alzheimer’s financial toll on individuals, and to the country. Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in the country, costing an estimated $290 billion in 2019 alone.  Collectively, Medicare and Medicaid are expected to cover $195 billion ($146 billion and $49 billion respectively), or 67 percent, of the total health care and long-term care payments for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. This represents an increase of $9 billion from last year.  This also means Alzheimer’s costs taxpayers in more than $22 million every hour.