Rep. Ginny Shaver, a Republican from Leesburg, passionately discussed a bill during a session at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama on March 21, 2024. The bill aimed to extend parental leave to state employees.
The Alabama Alzheimer’s Task Force convened on Wednesday to establish proposals for the Legislature regarding a comprehensive five-year plan aimed at tackling Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related illnesses.
The legislative resolution from last year led to the formation of a task force. This task force will be presenting their plan to Governor Kay Ivey and lawmakers in February 2025, marking the start of the legislative session. Once the plan is presented, the task force will be dissolved.
“After the meeting, Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, who chairs the task force, highlighted the range of state services available from various agencies. These include Veterans Affairs, Medicaid, Department of Public Health, and Department of Mental Health, all of which play a crucial role in addressing the needs of individuals affected by Alzheimer’s in different ways.”
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alabama had the second highest mortality rate from Alzheimer’s disease in 2021, with 46.8 deaths per 100,000 people, following Mississippi. The 2023 Alabama State Health Assessment revealed that Alzheimer’s disease was the seventh-leading cause of death in the state in 2022, with a rate of 52.2 individuals with Alzheimer’s per 100,000 population. This marks an improvement from 2020, when the state had a rate of 62.9 cases per 100,000 people.
According to a 2023 report by the Alzheimer’s Association, the number of individuals in Alabama aged 65 and above who have Alzheimer’s disease is projected to rise from 96,000 in 2020 to 110,000 in 2025, reflecting a 14.6% increase. This growth can be attributed to limited healthcare access in rural areas and a growing elderly population, especially in the Black Belt region.
The task force has set up five subcommittees, each with its own specific focus. Additionally, the resolution highlights the need to enhance public awareness and provide greater support for family caregivers.
The subcommittees will have specific areas of focus, including caregiver support and education, addressing stigma, educating healthcare providers, conducting research, and advocating for policy changes.
Laurie Eldridge-Auffont, the chronic disease director at ADPH, stated that the task force’s state plan development was guided by their review of plans from other states.
Eldridge-Auffont gave a detailed presentation on the Alzheimer’s Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthy Brain Initiative. This initiative provides valuable strategies for state and local health departments to develop the necessary infrastructure to tackle Alzheimer’s. In addition, they discussed elements of existing plans from other states like Massachusetts and Louisiana that could be adopted in Alabama.
According to Eldridge-Auffont, it is beneficial to examine the approaches taken by other states to avoid duplicating efforts.
Amie Brunson, a University of Alabama social work professor, will present a needs assessment report to the task force.
According to Brunson, their objective is to gather information about people’s knowledge of dementia and dementia risk, as well as their experiences in finding dementia-related activities and caregiving resources in their community.
Brunson added that they are eager to gain insights into the public’s viewpoint regarding access to organizations, both public and private, that are involved in providing dementia care.
As her sister’s caretaker, Shaver shares that she has personally experienced the challenges that caregivers face. She acknowledges that she has an advantage over others in terms of accessing healthcare and other services due to her knowledge and connections. However, she empathizes with individuals who are caring for someone with dementia but lack the same resources and support network.
According to a study conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association in 2022, it has been found that Alzheimer’s disease has a greater impact on Black Americans. The study reveals that Black Americans are up to twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease compared to their white counterparts. However, they are 35% less likely to receive a diagnosis for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
The rates of Alzheimer’s disease in the Black Belt region are some of the highest in the state. According to the Alabama chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, 18% of the population aged 65 and older in Greene and Macon counties are living with Alzheimer’s disease. This is higher than the average rate of 11.8% in Alabama.
According to the study, race alone is not considered a risk factor for dementia. However, certain diseases and lifestyle factors are connected to an increased risk of dementia, and this risk can vary among different racial or ethnic groups. For instance, Black Americans have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular conditions like hypertension and diabetes, which have consistently been linked to dementia and cognitive decline later in life.
According to the 2022 report, the number of deaths caused by Alzheimer’s disease is on the rise in Alabama. In 2019, a total of 2,659 individuals from Alabama succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease. This marks a significant increase of 197.1% since the year 2000.
The nation is experiencing a rise in its older population, with one in six individuals now being 65 or older, a significant increase from less than 1 in 20 back in 1920. Alabama, in particular, has a slightly higher median age than the national average. According to the U.S. Census, the median age in Alabama was 39.4 years in 2022, compared to the nationwide median of 38.9 years. Additionally, white Alabamians had a higher median age at 42.9 years.
ADPH was granted $1.7 million over a period of five years by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish an infrastructure that would enhance the connectivity of services across the state. This grant, known as the BOLD grant, aims to strengthen the coordination and effectiveness of public health efforts.
In the coming weeks, the task force will select individuals to join the task force subcommittees. Throughout July and August, the subcommittees will convene on a monthly basis to establish goals for their respective priority areas. These goals will then be presented to the task force in September and October for further discussion and adoption. Drawing from a needs assessment being conducted by the University of Alabama, the subcommittees will develop objectives for each goal. This needs assessment will be shared statewide to gather feedback from various stakeholders.
The subcommittees will work on developing strategies for each objective from November to December. They will then present their findings to the task force. By January, their recommendations will be finalized and prepared for presentation to the legislature in February 2025.
According to Shaver, the plan spans five years and involves two main phases. The first two years will be dedicated to developing a comprehensive statewide plan, while the remaining three years will focus on implementing the plan. Shaver emphasized that the ideas generated during the meetings will play a crucial role in carrying the plan forward and putting it into action.
