Support Funding for Early Detection and Diagnosis 

During the past two biennium, the Texas legislature increased its commitment to Alzheimer’s care and support by appropriating $500,000 per year to the Alzheimer’s Disease Program (ADP) within the Texas Department of State Health Services. Alzheimer’s care and support has profound implications on the Alzheimer’s community — leading to higher costs on individuals, our health care systems and our government. The state’s support for the ADP has simply not kept pace with the continued increase in the need for services and support. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state legislators to support an investment of $10 million over the biennium for Alzheimer’s care and support at the Texas Department of State Health Services with an emphasis on increasing the early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia in the state.

Establish Dementia Training Standards for Professional Care Staff 

The number of people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia in various care settings is growing. More than 40% of those in residential care facilities, such as assisted living facilities, have Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Individuals with Alzheimer’s have needs that often make care delivery challenging and more demanding than residents without Alzheimer’s. Person-centered dementia training for all direct care workers in assisted living facilities can improve the quality of care and experiences for people living with dementia The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on legislators to ensure that all professional care staff involved in the delivery of care to people with dementia receive at least four hours of initial dementia-specific training and two hours of continuing education in dementia care.