On the recordDecember 15, 2010
I offer the following statement in support of Senate Bill 3036, expressing support for the National Alzheimer's Project Act. The effects of Alzheimer's disease are devastating. An estimated 5.3 million Americans live with this disease, and millions more are directly affected through caring for loved ones and sharing the surmounting costs of this terrible disease. Unfortunately, the devastation of Alzheimer's disease will only become worse as the Baby Boom generation grows older. It is estimated that if we are unable to change the trajectory of this disease, as many as 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer's by the middle of this century. The economic impact of Alzheimer's is also staggering. We are currently spending an estimated $172 billion annually on Alzheimer's disease and other dementia care in America. As the nation faces a growing aging population, we must look at how to reduce costs while improving outcomes. The National Alzheimer's Project Act will help achieve this goal through the establishment of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services, which facilitates public and private coordination on research and services across all federal agencies. As my mother is currently suffering from the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, I would welcome news of a research breakthrough that would slow, stop, or reverse this degenerative disease.
