Alzheimer's Advocacy in

The Alzheimer's Association, East Central Iowa is advocating on behalf of those living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia in our area.

Take Action! Become an Advocate

Addressing the Alzheimer’s crisis is as much a matter of public policy as scientific discovery, and we need your help to change the future of this devastating disease. As an advocate, you will be invited to engage public officials and policymakers in a variety of ways, urging their support for critical Alzheimer's legislation and policy changes.

Become a part of our advocate community today.

Current Action Alerts

 

Policies

Federal Policy

Alzheimer's is a devastating disease that cannot be ignored by federal policymakers. Our goal is to see that the federal government takes bold action now to confront this growing crisis. Urge your elected officials to enact public policies that provide better health and long-term coverage to ensure high-quality, cost-effective care for the millions of people who face this disease every day. Learn more

STATE POLICY

More than 63,000 Iowa residents are living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. This number is projected to grow to 73,000 in Iowa by the year 2050. Given the sweeping economic, social, and psychological impact Alzheimer’s disease has on Iowans, the state needs a proactive response to this issue. The Alzheimer’s Association will focus on the following policy priorities in Iowa in 2016:

PRIORITY 1:  PROVIDE FINANCIAL RELIEF TO FAMILY CAREGIVERS AND THOSE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Nationally, the cost of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is estimated to be $226 billion and is expected to increase to $1.1 trillion by 2050. In Iowa, caregivers of people with dementia provide 152 million hours of unpaid care valued at $1.8 billion. Eighty-five percent of unpaid caregivers are family members, such as a spouse, adult children or grandchildren. Many caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s reported making major changes to their work hours or quitting their job entirely.

  • Key Action: Create an income tax credit that would help to ease the extra financial burden on family caregivers.


PRIORITY 2:  SECURE RESPITE AND OPERATIONAL FUNDING FOR THE HEALTH AND RESILIENCE OUTREACH (HERO) PROJECT

The HERO Project is an Iowa-based, volunteer driven, family caregiver support and resilience program created in early 2015. Since its inception, the HERO Project has provided telephone support and respite scholarships for over 100 people and has been statistically shown to help family caregivers remain resilient by helping to maintain their stress level and by reducing the overall hospitalization rate of both the caregiver and the person with dementia. Ultimately, by supporting caregiver resilience, the HERO Project is actively working to ease the emotional burden that is placed on a family caregiver and increase their overall health and ability to care for their loved one in their own home.

  • Key Action: Create a legislative appropriation to grow and sustain the HERO Project, allowing for the volunteer capacity to be expanded to better meet the caregiver support needs and for the respite scholarships to be granted to caregivers statewide.


PRIORITY 3:  SUPPORT THE LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT CLOSELY ALIGN WITH THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION’S MISSION

As Iowa’s population ages, more and more organizations are bringing new ideas to reinvigorate the healthcare landscape, many of which will directly benefit those people living with dementia and their caregivers. This is especially important given that many problems associated with aging are exacerbated for people living with dementia. As these organizations develop and debut their legislative priorities, the Alzheimer’s Association will support those that align closest to our mission and will have the largest effect on those that we serve.

  • Key Action: Identify and support aging initiatives that would benefit and serve those living with dementia and their caregivers, such as the AARP’s Care Act and others.


Learn more

More Info


2017 IOWA DAY AT THE HILL

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WHEN: Thursday, March 9, 2017
WHERE: Iowa State Capitol
TIME: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Alzheimer’s Association Day at the Hill will provide opportunities for advocates to learn more about our current state priorities, the legislative process, and how they can engage with elected officials to improve the lives of Iowans with dementia and the loved ones that care for them. We will then spend time meeting legislators in the afternoon and telling our personal stories with the goal of raising awareness and moving our state policy priorities forward.

If you are planning on attending and you live in East Central Iowa, transportation will be available. For more information about carpooling, please contact Ann Drobot, Director of Programs and Advocacy, at adrobot@alz.org or 319.294.9699, Ext. 8300.

Those participating are asked to wear purple. Join us and let YOUR voice be heard!

This event is FREE and open to the public, but registration is requested. Please click on the link below to RSVP.

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Agenda at a Glance

TIME DETAILS LOCATION
9-10 a.m. Advocates arrive/check-in 2nd Floor Rotunda
10 a.m. Kick-off 2nd Floor Rotunda
10:30 a.m.

Choice of activities:

  • Tour of Capitol
  • Training for first-time attendees
  • Meetings with legislators
Varies
11:30 a.m.

Lunch

During lunch, the Advocate of the Year Award
will be presented 
and we will take the time to
recognize our legislators

Room TBD
Noon

Panel discussion

Our panelists will be:

  • Long-term care Ombudsman
  • Area Agency on Aging
  • Department of Transportation
  • Alzheimer's Association
Room TBD
1 p.m.

Choice of activities:

  • Tour of Capitol
  • Meetings with legislators
  • Report results of meetings
Varies


 


Upcoming Events

 

Chapter Contact(s)

Chapter Headquarters
East Central Iowa
317 Seventh Avenue SE, Suite 402
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Phone 319.294.9699