Senator Lewis Champions Alzheimer's and Dementia Bill

A release from the office of State Senator Jason Lewis:

BOSTON – The Massachusetts House and Senate Senate took historic steps to address the Alzheimer’s and dementia healthcare crisis in the Commonwealth voting to pass an Act relative to Alzheimer’s and related dementias in the Commonwealth. The legislation, championed in the Senate by Senator Jason Lewis, marks major progress in supporting individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia, their families, and their caretakers.

“The Massachusetts Alzheimer’s and Dementia Act is critical for the hundreds of thousands of people in our state affected by these diseases,” said Lewis, Senate Chair of the Committee on Public Health. “We all know a friend, neighbor or loved one who has been touched by Alzheimer’s or dementia, and it is clearer than ever that the growing healthcare crisis requires bold and compassionate response and mitigation.”

More than 130,000 people are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease in Massachusetts — those individuals are being cared for by more than 337,000 family and friends. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in 2018 Massachusetts will spend more than $1.6 billion in Medicaid costs caring for people with Alzheimer’s.

In 2017, Senator Lewis convened a special legislative hearing on the Alzheimer’s and dementia healthcare crisis. Advocates from around Massachusetts testified about the real challenges produced by dementia. This hearing was a catalyst for legislative action in the House and the Senate, as elected officials learned more about devastating toll of Alzheimer’s: not just on those with the disease, but also on their families and caregivers. Nearly 60 percent of caregivers rate the emotional stress as high or very high, and about 40 percent suffer from depression.

“Alzheimer's is the single largest unaddressed public health threat in the 21st century and we remain on the front lines of this crisis every day here in the Commonwealth,” shared Daniel Zotos, Director of Public Policy & Advocacy of the Alzheimer’s Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter. “This legislation follows in the tradition of Massachusetts being a national leader in health care and we commend the Legislature for ensuring everyone impacted by Alzheimer's gets the quality care and support they deserve.”

Photo courtesy office of Jason Lewis