Urgent Need for the Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Act

March 2020 is a historic date in our lives. It was the beginning of a national lockdown, a way to navigate a deadly pandemic, and an effort to prevent unnecessary loss of lives. The pandemic highlighted that as a state we were not prepared to tackle an issue quite this large and it taught us as a state especially that we have to shine a light on issues and help all populations, especially the underserved communities.

Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in our nation. Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia can cause difficulty with everyday tasks: showering, talking, reading, and more basic functions. This loss of ability is where caregivers come into play. They help provide a better quality of life, even though more than half have no prior training in nursing tasks.

My grandfather has dementia and as he continues to age, we consistently see behavioral changes. He was a peaceful person that developed occasional violent tendencies. My grandmother has no prior experience in nursing, yet is his caregiver. At times, there was a concern for her well-being and safety. As we noticed my grandpa’s cognitive decline, we were overwhelmed and had no sense of direction of how to provide a better quality of life for him. After several years, we still have not figured it out. The additional services provided by this act would be infinitely beneficial for people in similar situations.

Unfortunately, 11 million caregivers caring for people with Alzheimer’s are unpaid. This may be due to the substantial financial difficulty they face or the intensity and extent of the emotional and physical duties they are responsible for. Thirty-three percent of these caregivers’ health is affected.

Thankfully, the bipartisan Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act (S.56/ H.R.1474) would provide much-needed relief for our nation’s dementia caregivers. I ask my Congressional Representative Brad Sherman to co-sponsor the case for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act (S. 56 / H.R. 1474). With his support, we can give back to the caregivers who are working endlessly to support themselves and their loved ones.