OPINION: Alzheimer's Disease can't wait
The Obama administration has just released its “Draft Framework” for a National Alzheimer’s Plan and as a nation we are at a critical juncture for the Department of Health & Human Services to create an aggressive and coordinated national strategy to deal with and change the trajectory of this disease.
As the Advisory Council for the National Alzheimer’s Plan meets in Washington, it is important to remember the 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, including some 180,000 (65+) right here in Michigan. Also, this very day there are some 15 million friends & family providing care for someone with Alzheimer’s and dementia -- 507,000 individuals in Michigan alone.
Alzheimer’s is devastating to families from every walk of life. We are at a vital point in time where the creation of a plan to address this crisis is within our grasp IF we can get our nation’s leaders to fulfill the commitment they made when the National Alzheimer’s Project Act passed last year….the commitment to the millions living today with this disease and the millions more who will face it tomorrow.
Families looking for what they can do to help should visit : “Napa.alz.org” to become an advocate, learn more and share their opinion.
The time is now because Alzheimer’s can’t wait.
Ron Hagen
Brighton
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