Alzheimer’s is a major public health issue we must urgently address — the burden is large, the impact is major and there are ways to intervene. We have just observed National Public Health Week; policymakers can take action to help the more than 94,000 Minnesotans living with Alzheimer’s and the nearly 120,000 who may develop the disease by 2025.
One important way Congress can act is by passing the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (S. 2076/H.R. 4256). Endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association, the act would create an Alzheimer’s public health infrastructure across the country to implement effective Alzheimer’s interventions, including increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.
As the CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter, I understand firsthand the impact that legislation like this can have on families and our nation. Please join me in asking Reps. Betty McCollum, Tim Walz, Jason Lewis, Keith Ellison, Tom Emmer, and Rick Nolan, along with Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith to fight for the millions of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s by supporting the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act. (Thank you to Reps. Erik Paulsen and Collin Peterson for co-sponsoring this important legislation.)
If we are going to end Alzheimer’s disease, then we must start treating it like the public health threat that it is. To learn more and take action, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org.
Susan Spalding is the CEO of Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter.
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