As we enter the month of September, World Alzheimer’s Month, the Alzheimer’s Association – the world’s leading organization working to eradicate the disease – has announced several milestones that have been reached this year.
First, due in part to lobbying by concerned citizens throughout the country, the Obama administration developed the nation’s first-ever National Alzheimer’s Plan. The plan – which supports better treatment for those living with the disease – is a result of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act passed by Congress last year. The Alzheimer’s Association conducted more than 130 public input sessions to gather insight which informed the plan. Nearly a quarter million people signed a petition in support of a strong national plan.
Celebrating another milestone, the association this year awarded its largest-ever research grant. The grant, of nearly $4.2 million over 4 years, was awarded to the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. The grant will be used in part to study whether earlier intervention can slow or stop the progress of the disease.
Finally, people throughout the northern hemisphere participated in The Longest Day, an event to raise funds for Alzheimer’s research and raise awareness about the disease. Held on June 20, the summer solstice, the event called on people to participate in a sunrise-to-sunset endurance relay, with donors pledging various amounts per hour of participation. More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, with approximately 15 million caregivers.
This article was previously seen on Bernie’s Brigade on Forbes.
For more information about the Alzheimer’s Association, visit www.alz.org. To register for a walk in your area, click here. For more information about our elder law services, visit www.elderlawnewyork.com.