Well-Trained and Dedicated Care Workforce Is Vital To Seniors

A release from the office of State Representative Paul Brodeur:

Last week, I joined my colleagues in the House of Representatives in voting in favor of An Act Relative to Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias in the Commonwealth. Included in this legislation are measures I have been advocating for on Beacon Hill for several years now. I took the opportunity to speak from the floor of the House of Representatives, highlighting the inclusion of these provisions, which will equip elder services workers with the training they need to properly care for these individuals.

We can make a difference in the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s by ensuring that front line social workers dealing with reports of elder abuse and neglect have the proper skills and training to cope with clients who are suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia. From my days as an attorney at the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, where I worked to improve elder protective services, I came to understand how vital a well-trained and dedicated senior care workforce is to respecting and protecting the dignity of our community’s seniors.

The need of this legislation has never been greater, and it has only been growing. According to the Center for Disease control, over 48 percent of nursing home patients suffer from Alzheimer’s disease nationwide. Here in Massachusetts, more than 120,000 citizens of the Commonwealth suffer from this terrible disease. To give you a sense of scale, the combined total populations of Wakefield, Melrose, and Malden are roughly 114,000. Further, it is estimated Massachusetts will see a 25% increase in the number of people with Alzheimer’s over the next decade.

Seniors with Alzheimer’s are a vulnerable population, as they are often the targets of emotional and physical abuse. Similarly, they are frequently targeted by those who hope to exploit their condition for financial gain. Giving protective services workers appropriate training is the key to an effective protective services program.

This bill ensures elder protective services case workers have the training necessary to recognize the signs and symptoms of cognitive impairments, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, and understand how these impairments might impact screenings of cases, investigations, and service planning. The overall goal is to create interactive and effective relationships with the clients and families they serve.

My colleagues and I are committed to protecting those affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia. This bill will benefit the citizens of the Commonwealth living with these diseases. A well-trained, respectful workforce means well-cared for, respected patients and their families.