Earlier this month, New York state approved the budget which allotted $50 million for the care of people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families.
Learn more about their plan for this money and how it can help combat Alzheimer’s and improve the lives of people affected by the disease.
Funding Alzheimer’s Care
New York has pledged $50 million over a two year period to invest in improving care for people with Alzheimer’s.
According the the New York State Alzheimer’s Association Chapters, this is the largest amount ever committed to people with the disease and their families by any state.
The $50 million will be spread over several resources, all aimed at improving the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers which includes:
- Funding of an existing 24 hour helpline for patients and caregivers
- Support groups
- Training for caregivers
- Community outreach
- Respite care
- Creation of several new memory care centers
The $50 million for Alzheimer’s care was proposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York, and was approved by lawmakers in early April of 2015. Acting State Health Commissioner, Howard A. Zucker, said:
“Anyone who has had any friends or relatives with Alzheimer’s knows it really cuts to the core. He (Cuomo) wanted us to look at this from all different angles.”
He also commented the financial commitment was a reflection of of the Governor’s view of Alzheimer’s as a major challenge to public health.
Alzheimer’s Care in 2015
Recent statistics released by the Alzheimer’s Association support Governor Cuomo’s concerns about Alzheimer’s.
The numbers are more than concerning, especially given the historically limited funding given to Alzheimer’s research. Some of these shocking statistics are listed below:
- The cost of caring for Alzheimer’s patients in the U.S. will be an estimated $226 billion in 2015.
- The global cost of Alzheimer’s and dementia is expected to be $605 billion.
- There are roughly 44 million people worldwide with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
- In 2014, more than 15 million Americans provided more than 17.9 billion hours of unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s.
- 2 in 3 people with Alzheimer’s are women
- 1 in 9 Americans over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s and one third of Americans over 85 are afflicted with the disease.
New York’s budget allotment for Alzheimer’s care is unprecedented, and we hope more states will follow its lead with increased funding for Alzheimer’s care and research.
What do you think about New York’s pledge to fund Alzheimer’s care? Should more states pledge funding? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
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