It is time to change thinking on Alzheimer's

Dear Editor,

The time has come to change our thinking on Alzheimer’s Disease.  Too often, Alzheimer’s and other dementias are treated as an aging issue, ignoring the public health consequences of a disease that someone in the U.S. develops every 66 seconds.

With two-thirds of its annual costs bring borne by Medicare & Medicaid, it is an issue that demands more attention from our government.

As someone who has lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s, I understand the physical and emotional costs of the disease. 

Congress has a chance to take decisive action by passing the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure For Alzheimer’s Act (S. 2076/H.R. 4256), endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association.  This new legislation would create an Alzheimer’s public health infrastructure across the country to implement effective Alzheimer’s interventions like increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.

Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in the U.S..  Our nation currently spends $259 billion a year on Alzheimer’s, which is why we need this new approach.  If we are going to end this disease, we must start treating it like the public health threat it is.

Please join me in asking Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray to fight for the five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s by cosponsoring the BOLD Infrastructure For Alzheimer’s Act.

Mark Newbold

Spokane