Alzheimer's Association steps up lobbying efforts for research
By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Jan. 16, 2003
With the number of Alzheimer's patients growing, members of the Alzheimer's Association are working to increase federal funding to care for patients and find a cure.
More than 40 people gathered at the Episcopal Church of the Mediator on Wednesday to listen to Michael J. Splaine, director of advocacy programs for the association.
Meridian is one of several cities in the state where meetings have been scheduled to answer questions about Alzheimer's and to motivate and train people to join the Alzheimer's Association's effort to get more money to fight the disease.
Barbara Dobrosky, program director for the Mississippi Alzheimer's Association and local branch director, was pleased with Wednesday's attendance.
What is needed
Dobrosky said about half of the people at Wednesday's workshop were from health care agencies, including hospitals and hospices. The rest were personal caregivers of people with Alzheimer's, mostly family members.
People who attended said problems in East Mississippi include: 1) a need for more education for caregivers, patients and the community; 2) more special care units in nursing homes, adult day centers and assisted living centers; 3) more knowledge and use of local resources by physicians; and 4) more training for certified nursing assistants and other health care workers.
Legislative goals
The Alzheimer's Association wants Congress to increase research funding at the National Institutes of Health by $200 million for a total of $1 billion.
In Mississippi, the association's 2003 legislative platform includes: 1) expanding the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waiver Program to offer more options for Alzheimer's patients; 2) giving incentives to recruit and train more workers to care for Alzheimer's patients in the home and for licensed care providers; and 3) expanding Alzheimer's and dementia special care units in the state.
LEARN MORE
For more information about the Alzheimer's Association, call toll-free (877) 525-4357 or visit www.alz.org.
