Nearly 23,000 Delawareans live with Alzheimer’s disease, but half are undiagnosed. With Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments, the need for early detection and diagnosis is critical.
As a former caregiver to my mother, I understand the importance of early detection and diagnosis. My mother likely had Alzheimer’s long before our family recognized it. Her doctor of 40 years would never diagnose her or encourage her to be tested. She was eventually diagnosed by a specialist after her physician retired, and she had moved to a facility. An early diagnosis would have eased my mother’s anxieties and helped our family better cope with the challenges.
As primary care providers are often the first clinicians with whom individuals discuss cognition concerns, improving their access to the latest dementia training is critical. The bipartisan Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer’s Provider Training Act (House Resolution 7688/Senate Bill 4276) will empower primary care providers to better diagnose Alzheimer’s and deliver high-quality, person-centered care. Through the use of Project ECHO, the AADAPT Act would provide videoconference dementia education and training to more primary care providers. This training will increase their understanding of dementia detection, diagnosis, care and treatment.
We are fortunate to have congressional leadership on issues affecting the Alzheimer’s community, and I ask that Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, all D-Del., join me and the Alzheimer’s Association in supporting the AADAPT Act. Learn more at alz.org.
Patricia Risher
Alzheimer’s Association advocate
Middletown
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
