Alzheimer’s Task Force Report

The Task Force on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia released its final report earlier this year. The task force was established last year (Special Act 13-11) to study Alzheimer’s and dementia related care within the state and produce recommendations to improve services. According to the report, an estimated 70,000 individuals in Connecticut who are age 65 or older suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. The report warns that the number is expected to increase dramatically in the next two decades, and providing an adequate level of care will pose a significant challenge for the state.

Among other points, the report recommends:

• Conducting a public awareness campaign to better connect patients and caregivers to all available resources.
• Promoting Medicare annual wellness visits which include a cognitive assessment for early detection and diagnosis.
• Developing training programs for employees of financial institutions to reduce the risk of financial exploitation of the cognitively impaired.
• Increasing funding and support for informal and family caregivers.
• Encouraging family, medical, and estate planning for individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia, to ensure that the wishes of the individual are carried out, minimize family disputes, and reduce the burden on the court system.
• Studying the financial impact of developing Dementia Care Centers at Connecticut hospitals.
• Requiring dementia-specific training for nursing home staff, home health aides, and other caregivers; public safety responders; and emergency room staff.

For more information on Connecticut resources for those with Alzheimer’s or related diseases, see the Connecticut Statewide Respite Care Program and the Connecticut chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. The Connecticut Commission on Aging provides updates on legislative activity relating to the elderly and Alzheimer’s care.