Tips
for Choosing Assisted Living as an Alternative
Guest Columnist: Lessons Learned From the Great Depression
National Service Target of New Bill
Health Reforms Must Include Long-Term Care Plan
Retirement Confidence Plummets During Recession
Senior Health: Alexander Technique Can Improve Your Quality of Life
Along The Boomer Trail: America’s Royal Couple Visits the Windsors
Ken's Corner: It’s the ‘Thingamajig’ Making Those Mysterious Noises
Alzheimer’s Study Group Reveals Strategic Plan
By
Stephen Baetge
Staff Writer
The
U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging introduced a report from the
Alzheimer’s Study Group (ASG) — an independent coalition
of the country’s leading experts on Alzheimer’s and its
related fields — in a hearing held on March 25, 2009.
Since its formation, the focus of the ASG was the preparation of a National Alzheimer’s
Strategic Plan — a series of recommendations to combat Alzheimer’s
disease now and in the future.
The ASG was established on July 11, 2007 under the auspices of the Congressional
Task Force on Alzheimer’s disease and charged with creating a National
Alzheimer’s Strategic Plan to overcome America’s mounting Alzheimer’s
crisis.
Members of the ASG, including former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor,
former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Senator Bob Kerrey, were
present for the release of the Strategic Plan. They urged Congress to take immediate
action to combat the disease.
“Today, more than five million Americans suffer from the disease. Our study
shows that in the next 20 years the number of people with Alzheimer’s will
increase by more than 50 percent,” stated Ms. O’Connor. “Without
urgent action, ultimately one out of every two Americans over 80 will have Alzheimer’s.”
O’Connor continued, “Our nation has no plan for a federal effort
to find a solution or to help manage the costs. Such a solution is urgently needed.
To that end, we submit our findings and our proposals.”
California first lady Maria Shriver shared her own family’s experience
with the disease, offering advice to caregivers along with a call urging decisive
action.
“We have to put Alzheimer’s on the front burner, because if we don’t,
Alzheimer’s will not only devour our memories, it will cripple our families,
devastate our health care system and decimate the legacy of our generation,” Shriver
emphasized.
Larry Butcher, chairman of Alzheimer’s Community Care in West Palm Beach,
Florida, testified about the patient care model in use at his facility, which
provides specialized adult daycare centers, family nurse consultants, education
and training, a 24-hour crisis hotline and caregiver support groups.
“The Alzheimer’s Study Group has given us a good understanding of
where we are today and where we need to go,” stated Senator Herb Kohl,
D-Wis., chairman of the Aging Committee. “The Committee will continue its
work to address the plan’s recommendations to train and support those caregivers
on the frontlines, whether they are health professionals, direct care workers
or family members.”
The recommendations of the Strategic Plan were broken down into four primary
categories: support for research, translating research breakthroughs into treatment,
ensuring quality care and supporting families.
Proposals included encouraging greater cooperation among scientists who perform
long-term research, improvement of clinical trials, creating care coordination
among facility or in-home caregivers and redesigning community homes to increase
the quality of life for patients.
The ASG recommended raising the level of academic cooperation by increasing the
tools available to researchers, using incentives to scan the growing body of
Alzheimer’s research for relevant breakthroughs and to more efficiently
collaborate on solutions regardless of organizational boundaries.
The Strategic Plan also suggested increasing support and coordination of Alzheimer’s
clinical trials to reduce delays, improve efficiency and to allow the faster
identification of new promising treatments.
The Strategic Plan recommended integrating a community-based care model, applying
innovative approaches to care to better support patients and families and to
help manage costs.
Other provisions of the Strategic Plan include providing meaningful and timely
information to policymakers on the mounting impact and potential responses to
Alzheimer’s to allow them to assess progress, set funding priorities and
exercise strategic oversight.
With the delivery of the Strategic Plan, members of the ASG ended their service
together.
This page and its contents ©2009
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
