Alzheimer’s Bill Signed into Law!

I am one of the nearly 1 million Illinois residents who are directly affected by Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. My father lived with Alzheimer’s disease for 10 years. His last 2 years were spent confined to a wheelchair in a sub-standard care home, an unlicensed dwelling run by an untrained couple in the state of Texas. I still regret daily that our family didn’t try harder on his behalf to find good care in a well-run, safe setting. Had we been able to get advice from a professional at the state level we might not have seen our dad suffer so much. My story is not unlike others, as there are countless families who face the emotional, physical and financial burden of this disease.

While the road to find a prevention or cure may seem long, I’m excited to share that our state government is taking a positive step forward in our fight to End Alzheimer’s. Thanks to the support of our own Governor JB Pritzker and State Representative Chris Welch Alzheimer’s Association-driven legislation, Senate Bill 1726, has been signed into law! This new law will establish a Dementia Coordinator at the Department of Public Health, a full-time position dedicated to effectively coordinating services around increasing quality of life for individuals, families and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s.

To prepare our healthcare system for this fast-growing and costly disease, I’m proud to know this coordinator will be a much-needed advocate in our state government. Please join me join in celebrating this huge victory and thanking our leader Representative Welch for making this happen!

Sincerely,

Ruth Reko

River Forest