Alzheimer's 2019 Regulatory Priorities

Alzheimer's Association 2019 Public Policy

The 2019 General Assembly will begin it's legislative session soon and the Alzheimer's Association will be pursuing these issues on the behalf of patients, caregivers and their families.

• Ensuring Home and Community Based Services' financial and functional eligibility allow services in the setting most appropriate for the person living with dementia and their specific needs

• Ensuring access to quality long-term care for individuals living with Alzheimer's and other dementias, and ensuring that Medicaid functional and financial eligibility allow services in the type of long term care facility that best meets their specific needs--persons with Alzheimer's-related behavioral issues are being discharged from nursing homes because of those behaviors--nursing homes are being tagged if there is a potential safety risk or the documentation of resident-on-resident, or resident-on-staff aggression by these individuals. Because of this, we want to ensure
• Competency-based dementia training for all staff across the spectrum of care (adult day care to nursing homes) as a part of the solution--not just training for a set number of hours, but on-the-job proof that these staff understand how to manage difficult behaviors--such as re-directing the attention of a resident when they become agitated.

These are key issues affecting the lives of Alzheimer's patients across the State of Georgia.
Join me in encouraging our State Representatives and Senators to support these vital policies. I urge Sen. Jen Jordan and Rep.Michael Smith to continue their support of Alzheimer's Priorities.

Jim Williams
Volunteer Legislative Ambassador
Alzheimer's Association of Georgia
Smyrna Georgia