An exciting new era of Alzheimer’s treatment, prevention and care has begun, and the U.S. health care system is not fully prepared to meet growing needs. Steadily growing investment in research has led to treatments that can give many people more time to live independently and participate in experiences that are meaningful to them. Research is also revealing steps people can take to potentially reduce their risk of cognitive decline. Still, more than 6 million Americans are already living with Alzheimer’s dementia, and by 2050 this number is projected to increase to nearly 13 million. In a recent survey of primary care physicians, half said the medical profession is not prepared to meet growing demand.
The Alzheimer’s Association is leading the way to significantly increase access to quality dementia care in a variety of clinical settings. A global leader in maximizing quality care and support, the Association launched a nationwide Health Systems Initiative in 2019 to promote early and accurate diagnosis and offer proven solutions for improving health outcomes and managing the cost of care for people living with dementia. We also advocate for state and federal policy change to help families facing dementia, and we provide care and support programs and services spanning the care continuum in local communities nationwide.
To strengthen and scale this work, we are launching a health services research initiative. Health services researchers study the most effective ways to deliver high-quality care. We aim to amass an evidence base for the development of transformative care models for dementia risk reduction, diagnosis and treatment that can be scaled in health systems to benefit millions of Americans in all communities. Public and private organizations alike rely on evidence and health economic data to make decisions on care. Having scientific evidence to share with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), for example, could lead to decisions that improve dementia care in health systems and clinics serving more than 61 million Americans age 65 and older who are enrolled in Medicare.
We seek philanthropic partners to help us transform the future of dementia care. The Alzheimer’s Association proposes expenses totaling $15 million over the first five years for essential items such as the new position of senior director of health services research at the Association, Association-driven research (including grants for research partnerships, a literature review and more), grants for research by top global talent in this field, care model implementation and more. The Alzheimer’s Association is uniquely positioned to realize the goals of this ambitious initiative and forge the path to better dementia care in health systems for all communities.
Discovery Science
Early Detection
Treatment
Prevention
Step Up the Pace is a special initiative to increase philanthropic investment in four key dementia research outcomes areas: Discovery Science, Early Detection, Treatment and Prevention.
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