Executive Office of Health And Human Services Releases Recommendations for Individuals and Families Affected by Alzheimer’s
More than 120,000 seniors affected by debilitating disease, number expected to rise 17% by 2025
| Download the Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders State Plan Recommendations: |
BOSTON — The state Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA), today released Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders State Plan Recommendations, a comprehensive plan to help patients, families and caregivers manage Alzheimer’s in the Commonwealth. The report offers recommendations, resources, goals and strategies to improve the quality of life for individuals and families affected by the disease. The recommendations also identify ways to minimize the public and private cost of Alzheimer's. The report was released today at an Alzheimer's awareness event co-hosted by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs and the Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
“Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia-causing illness and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. JudyAnn Bigby. “Massachusetts alone has 120,000 seniors who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease which doesn’t include the many thousands with younger-onset Alzheimer’s or other related dementias.”
This report provides a framework for the Massachusetts plan,” said Secretary of Elder Affairs Ann Hartstein. “As a roadmap for where we want to be in the next five years, the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders State Plan addresses the future for all of us as we work together to meet the needs of the increasing number of people with these conditions.”
The report was developed by EOEA in partnership with the Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, which formed a statewide Advisory Committee to develop the recommendations over the past two years. The Advisory Committee convened four listening sessions and seven focus groups throughout the state, involving more than 400 individuals with Alzheimer's, family members, professional caregivers and representatives of state and local government. The recommendations developed in this report are the result of research and deliberation by the Committee and reflect the concerns and priorities conveyed during the listening sessions and focus groups.
“This report and accompanying action plan provides a road map for the 319,000 family caregivers who are providing care each and every day for a loved one with Alzheimer’s,” said James Wessler, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter. “We are very pleased that Governor Deval Patrick is committed to providing hope and support for the thousands of families in the Commonwealth grappling with Alzheimer’s.”
To prepare for this potential health crisis among Massachusetts seniors and others, Governor Patrick directed EOEA to oversee the development of the report. Gathering first-hand accounts from the listening sessions and focus groups, EOEA identified five major areas of concern and ways to reinforce support in those areas.
The Advisory Committee then created recommendations designed to address these concerns along with goals for each recommendation, and strategies to accomplish each goal. The recommendations and are:
- Improve access to services and information for people with Alzheimer’s;
- Improve and expand support and education for family caregivers;
- Develop an infrastructure for enhanced quality of services within the medical community;
- Improve public awareness surrounding risk factors and risk reduction for Alzheimer’s disease;
- Create a set of statewide recommendations, guidelines and minimum standards surrounding quality of care in all care settings.
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