A new law in Pennsylvania devotes $1.9 million to establishing the state’s first Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Related Disorders division in the state Department of Aging.
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) recently signed SB 840 following passage of Pennsylvania’s state budget earlier this year.
Pennsylvania’s move comes as the number of older adults living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia grows along with the expanding population of older adults in general. Various states are pouring resources into developing and coordinating services to support those individuals and their caregivers.
In addition to authorizing the ADRD division, the Pennsylvania bill, now known as Act 111, also establishes an advisory committee to convene statewide stakeholders to implement the dementia state plan, advocate for policy, secure federal funding and leverage additional resources to better respond to the needs for people living with dementia.
“This new division allows the department to address this growing public health crisis in our commonwealth and aligns with the work that the department is already doing in this space,” Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich said in a statement.
More than 282,000 older adults in the Keystone State are living with Alzheimer’s, a number expected to increase to 320,000 by 2025, according to Shapiro’s administration.
“The creation of SB 840 into law will put the commonwealth on a path toward more effectively, efficiently and collaboratively addressing the Alzheimer’s crisis,” Kristina Fransel, regional vice president and Delaware Valley chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association executive director, said in a statement.
The establishment of the dementia division within the state Department of Aging is part of Aging Our Way, PA, the 10-year strategic plan designed to meet the needs of the state’s older adults and improve services. Shapiro signed an executive order in 2023 directing the Department of Aging to develop the plan.
California expands committee
Meanwhile, California Assembly Bill 2680 was enacted to expand the state’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Conditions Advisory Committee, which is tasked with tracking, monitoring and updating recommendations in the state’s aging and Alzheimer’s plans.
The bill also removes “stigmatizing” language in the code and ensures that Californians affected by Alzheimer’s and related forms of dementia can participate fully in the committee, according to Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguilar-Curry (D-Winters), who sponsored the bill.
“This bill modernizes the advisory committee to ensure Californians impacted by Alzheimer’s disease have their voice heard,” Aguilar-Curry said in a statement. “Out of respect for them, we’ve also removed outdated, stigmatizing term limits for members of the panel and language in the code.”
Jason Gabhart, Alzheimer’s Association director of government affairs, said the bill will ensure that relevant stakeholders’ voices are heard as the advisory issues “necessary advice for addressing Alzheimer’s across California.” The bill, he added, also gives informal caregivers representation on the advisory committee by broadening caregiver terminology and removes “unfair” term limits that do not reflect advances in modern medicine.
The California Assisted Living Association said that amendments in the Senate “unfortunately” removed proposed committee members who would have represented primary care physicians and first responders.
Justice in Aging said the updated language “uplifts diversity.”
Tennessee creates position
And the Tennessee Department of Health recently approved the creation of a full-time dementia director staff position.
The person in the role will coordinate Tennessee’s response to dementia by working closely with the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Advisory Council, ensuring that Tennesseans living with dementia — and their caregivers — are properly supported. The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in Tennessee is projected to increase 16.7% by 2025, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Source: McKnights Seniorliving