Join the causeThe Alzheimer’s Association--Greater Pennsylvania 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. Spread the Word! Add your voice to ours — become an advocate today. Alzheimer's & Related Disorders State Planning CommitteeLet YOUR VOICE be heard! We're still collecting input from our advocates, family, professional caregivers, medical professionals and everyone who wants to contribute to the Alzheimer's and related disorders state plan. Please take a moment to visit the Department of Aging website and submit an online form with comment. As always, thank you for all you to to help support our vision of a world without Alzheimer's disease & related disorders.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:
Pennsylvania AdvocacyThe National Alzheimer’s Plan was a great step forward toward defeating Alzheimer’s disease. Please contact Pennsylvania Appropriations Committee members, Representative Charlie Dent at 202-225-6411 & Representative Chaka Fattah at 202-225-4001 and ask for the inclusion of an additional $100 million for Alzheimer’s research, education, outreach and caregiver supports in the FY 2014 Appropriations Bill. Pennsylvania General Assembly - Find your senator and representative, search for bills from the current and prior legislative sessions, get directions to the Capitol building and much, much more! Advocacy VictoriesOn February 7, 2013, Governor Tom Corbett signed an Executive Order establishing the Pennsylvania Alzheimer's & Related Disorders Planning Committee. The committee is charged with creating the infrastructure and accountability necessary to build dementia-capable programs for the growing number of individuals living with the disease in Pennsylvania. Through the Department of Aging the committee will provide a comprehensive state strategy to address needs of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and address a range of issues including: dementia capable support services for people at all stages of the disease; quantifying the number of individuals with Alzheimer’s in a state; quality of long-term care; Medicaid coverage of long-term care for those who cannot afford it; availability of diagnostic services; and safety of persons who wander. For more information on the committee, please visit the PA Department of Aging website. Thank you to State Representative Kathy Watson who led the charge on getting creating this committee through House Bill 2270 of 2012. Pennsylvania Caregiver Support (Act 112) State Representative Matt Baker and Senator Kim Ward sponsored legislation to change the definition of "caregiver" to include caregivers who are not relatives or live outside of the home of the care recipient. Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (Act 108) Due to the impact of dementia on a person’s ability to make decisions and in the absence of other advanced directives, people with Alzheimer’s disease may need the assistance of a guardian. Jurisdiction in adult guardianship cases often becomes complicated because multiple states, each with its own adult guardianship system, may have an interest in the case. Consequently, it may be unclear which state court has jurisdiction to decide the guardianship issue. In response to this common jurisdictional confusion, the Uniform Law Commission developed the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (UAGPPJA). The legislation establishes a uniform set of rules for determining jurisdiction, and thus, simplifies the process for determining jurisdiction between multiple states in adult guardianship cases. It also establishes a framework that allows state court judges in different states to communicate with each other about adult guardianship cases. Thank you Representative Tim Hennessey for sponsoring this important piece of legislation! Federal advocacy
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