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THE BIG NEWS IN WASHINGTON — An unprecedented $122 million increase for Alzheimer’s research & caregiver support was passed swiftly by Congress. Get the details.
Congress has been engaged in addressing Alzheimer’s over the last several years, having unanimously passed the bipartisan National Alzheimer’s Project Act that mandated the first-ever National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease. America looks forward to President Obama’s signature on this most recent funding bill and subsequent announcements of how these resources will be used to meet the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s by 2025 established in this plan.
Robert Egge, the Alzheimer’s Association’s Vice President of Public Policy, said,
“The Alzheimer’s Association applauds the bipartisan efforts of Congress and its recognition of the important messages delivered by our more than 600,000 advocates. Their personal stories, backed by the stark facts about the impact of this disease, powerfully conveyed the critical need for increased funding. We are committed to the families facing this disease and changing the trajectory of this crisis.”
The funding allocated for Alzheimer’s disease includes a $100 million increase for the National Institute on Aging for Alzheimer’s research, which will be added to what the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates will be $484 million in Alzheimer’s research funding across NIH in fiscal year 2013. A further $3.3 million has been provided to support Alzheimer’s caregivers, $4 million to train health professionals on issues related to Alzheimer’s disease, $10.5 million to expand the home and community based caregiver services and $4.2 million for outreach activities to raise awareness. Additionally, the National Institutes of Health’s BRAIN Initiative will receive $30 million to support brain research that could impact several diseases, including Alzheimer’s.
There are currently more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and that number is poised to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050, according the Alzheimer’s Association 2013 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts & Figures report. In addition to the human toll of the disease, care for Alzheimer’s, the country’s most expensive condition, costs the nation $203 billion annually with projections to reach $1.2 trillion by 2050. Yet for every $27,000 Medicare and Medicaid spent on caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spends only $100 on Alzheimer’s research.
Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. For more information, visit alz.org.
SOURCE Alzheimer’s Association: http://www.alz.org
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This funding is exclusively for Alzheimers research and family support for Alzheimers patients only? While I am happy that this passed I have to ask why other dementia diagnoses are excluded. My spouse just died of Levy Body Dementia. It's far Mor devastating and there is no treatment even for symptoms, which are more severe and harder to deal with. There are fewer caregivers capable of caring for a Lewy Body patient because of the severity of the agitation and delusions.