On the recordApril 2, 2019
Alzheimer's is a public health crisis. It is fitting that today, the second day of National Public Health Week, the Alzheimer's Association held their annual Day on the Hill. That is why I am wearing purple, to help raise awareness about Alzheimer's. Someone new develops Alzheimer's every 65 seconds in the United States. The cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's and other dementias is around $290 billion a year in the United States. That cost is only going to get higher. In New Jersey alone, there are 180,000 people over the age of 65 who suffer from Alzheimer's. Each year, nearly 3,000 of them die from Alzheimer's. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me to raise awareness on Alzheimer's. But raising awareness is not enough. We need to increase research funding, commit to a public health response to Alzheimer's, and support Alzheimer's planning and care services under Medicare. ____________________
