Alzheimer's Disease - A Public Health Crisis

Letter to the Editor

There are more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, including 140,000 here in GA.

In 2019, caring for individuals living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias will cost $290 billion – including $195 billion in direct costs to Medicare and Medicaid.

That is why I am joining the Alzheimer’s Association in asking Congress to include an additional $350 million increase for Alzheimer’s and dementia research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the government’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget.

This terrible disease is very close to me – my Grandfather, Mother, and several Aunts and Uncles have all perished as a result of this disease. My oldest sister has been diagnosed.

If you have been impacted, I suspect you understand. If you have not, please understand that every 65 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s disease. This is a fast moving public health crisis that threatens to bankrupt America.

Barring increased research funding to undercover and develop medical breakthroughs needed to prevent, slow or cure the disease, the number of people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s or other dementias could grow from 5.6 million to 13.8 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

Please join me in asking Congressman Doug Collins to support an additional $350 million increase in Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding at the NIH. Together we can end Alzheimer’s.

To learn more about this disease and how you can join the fight to end Alzheimer’s, visit alzimpact.org.