Legislation to raise awareness, funds to fight Alzheimer's

NEW LEGISLATION WOULD RAISE AWARENESS, FUNDING TO FIGHT ALZHEIMER’S
Urge your Senators and Representatives to sign onto the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (S. 2076/H.R. 4256)
Letter to the Editor

It is time we change our thinking on Alzheimer’s disease. Too often Alzheimer’s is treated as an aging issue, ignoring the public health consequences of a disease that someone in the U.S. develops every 66 seconds. With two-thirds of its annual costs being borne by Medicare and Medicaid, it is an issue that demands more attention from our government.

As one of the 590,000 Illinoisians providing care to someone living with Alzheimer’s, I understand the disease’s impact / the physical and emotional costs of the disease.

Congress has a chance to take decisive action passing the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (S. 2076/H.R. 4256). Endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act would create an Alzheimer’s public health infrastructure across the country to implement effective Alzheimer's interventions including increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.

Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in the U.S. Alzheimer’s costs the country more than $259 billion a year, which is why we need the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act. If we are going to end Alzheimer’s disease, then we must start treating it like the public health threat it is.

I am asking Senator Duckworth and Representative Gutierrez to fight for the millions of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s by co-sponsoring the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act.