In 2017, the Minnesota Legislature (2017 Session Law) called on the Minnesota Board on Aging to reconvene the Alzheimer’s Disease Working Group (ADWG) to review and revise the Preparing Minnesota for Alzheimer’s: the Budgetary, Social and Personal Impacts. As with the original 2009 work group, this working group made recommendations for policies and programs that would prepare Minnesota for the future. The 2018 work group was led by a Minnesotan who is living with mild cognitive impairment and included health care providers, family caregivers, researchers, and representatives from state and local health and human services agencies. The ADWG gathered expert research and background information and solicited input from the general public. The Alzheimer’s Disease Working Group Legislative Report was published in January 2019 and presented to the Minnesota Legislature.

Spread Dementia Awareness Across Minnesota

The burden of Alzheimer’s disease is not equally shared, with significant racial, geographic, and economic disparities across the state. To inform all Minnesotans of the signs of dementia and promote early detection and diagnosis, the state must develop culturally inclusive and relevant messaging on Alzheimer’s and dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association is advocating for $500,000 to fund the creation of a culturally relevant public awareness campaign on Alzheimer’s and other dementia across the state of Minnesota targeting underserved rural and urban populations.