The Arizona Alzheimer’s Task Force was established in 2011 as a collaboration of the Governor's Office on Aging, the Arizona Department of Economic Security Division of Aging and Adult Services, the Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, and the Alzheimer's Association Desert Southwest Chapter. The goal was to bring together a wide range of public and private stakeholders to develop a plan to address the growing number of Arizonans with Alzheimer’s disease. In 2015, the Task Force published the Arizona Alzheimer’s State Plan: A Framework for Action, which was developed through the cooperation of more than 100 community members.

Fund a Public Health Campaign focused on Rural and Underserved Urban Communities

Currently, only 50% of those living with Alzheimer’s disease receive a formal diagnosis. With a growing population of Arizonans age 65 or older, there is a significant need to increase public awareness and understanding of cognitive decline. By 2025, the number of Arizonans living with Alzheimer’s disease is projected to increase by over 33% — the fastest rate of growth in the country. Through a public health campaign, rural and underserved urban Arizonans can become more aware of the signs and symptoms of dementia and the importance of a timely diagnosis, which is the first step in ensuring that individuals living with this disease can benefit from care planning, clinical trials and new treatments. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state policymakers to provide $500,000 to fund a statewide Alzheimer’s awareness campaign on the benefits of early detection and diagnosis, risk reduction, and care planning.