Advocate

 photo of US Capitol

Join the cause

The Alzheimer’s Association--Florida Gulf Coast Chapter invites you to become an Alzheimer advocate. Join us and speak up for the needs and rights of people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families.

Add your voice to ours — become an advocate today.

Upcoming events

Each year (usually February) Advocates and caregivers join the Florida Gulf Coast Staff to to to Tallahassee to meet and share their personal stories with State Legislators. Be sure to contact us by January of each year if you would like to participate. Contact Linda Howard at 800-272-3900 or howardl@alzflgulf.org. 

What is an advocate?

Alzheimer advocates play an important role in improving the quality of care and quality of life for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families by working to improve dementia care and services; improve access to community-based care; improve quality care in residential settings; and expand funding for research and public programs serving people with dementia.

As an advocate, you will:

  • Receive regular updates about current legislative and public policy issues.
  • Stay on top of policy and legislative issues through alerts and updates.
  • Make calls or write to legislators to forward public policy priorities to improve quality of life for those living with Alzheimer’s.

Florida advocacy

The Florida Alzheimer's Public Policy Council was established by all of the Florida Chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association to provide statewide leadership in developing and implementing a Florida Public Policy Platform. The Public Policy Platform comprehensively addresses issues that impact people living with Alzheimer's disease or dementia and their caregivers in Florida.

The Council is composed of volunteer leaders from around the state and the CEO of each Chapter. Each Chapter also has a Board appointed Public Policy Committee that oversees all Chapter Public Policy efforts.

Legislative Alerts - Legislative Alerts are one way in which the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter keeps the community aware of what is happening in the Public Policy arena. For example, when an item that impacts those affected by Alzheimer's is coming before a legislative body for a vote the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter would send out an Legislative Alert item coming up for a vote, how it impacts those affected by Alzheimer's disease and what you can do to share your feelings on the issue with your elected officials who will be voting on the item. Sign up to receive Legislative Alerts.

Legislative Visits
- Constituents' opinions heavily influence how their elected officials vote on issues placed before them. If you would like to sign up to make legislative visits regarding issues impacting Alzheimer's, email Linda Howard at howardl@alzflgulf.org or call her at 800-272-3900 with your contact information for Legislative Visits. Please put Legislative Visits in the subject line of your e-mail. The Chapter will provide you with training prior to asking you to make legislative visits.

Florida Alzheimer's Public Policy Council - If you would like to volunteer for the Public Policy Council, e-mail Linda Howard at howardl@alzflgulf.org or call her at 800-272-3900.

Additional Resources
Not sure who represents you? Click here and enter your address to see a list of all your State and Federal elected officials.

Federal advocacy