Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today so that we think about the over 5 million Americans, including thousands of Floridians and nearly half a million American veterans, who are living with Alzheimer's and dementia. Alzheimer's is the only one of the top 10 causes of death that cannot be prevented, cannot be cured, and cannot be slowed. As the sixth leading cause of death in Florida, and with so many affected by this incurable disease, we have to continue to stress the importance of early diagnosis and the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses. But awareness is never enough. As a member of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease, I am determined to make progress for all those affected. We must act proactively to achieve breakthroughs in prevention and treatment. We also have to act to ensure that those who currently have Alzheimer's have the tools that are needed to manage their symptoms, reduce pain, and increase comfort. Nearly half of all people with Alzheimer's and other dementias are in hospice care at the time of their passing, but less than half of nursing homes have some sort of palliative care program. For people with advanced dementia, palliative care improves their quality of life, controls costs, and enhances both patient and family satisfaction. As the demand for this kind of care grows with the aging population, more has to be done to ensure that there is a workforce equipped to provide that care.…”