ACT Massachusetts!

120,000 people in Massachusetts over 65 have Alzheimer's disease; thousands more have younger-onset Alzheimer's.

The Alzheimer's Association, MA/NH Chapter is working to secure quality care for all with Alzheimer's and related dementias in every care setting, trying to preserve access to Adult Day programs and continuing to fight to make Alzheimer's a priority for the legislature and governor of Massachusetts. These are our legislative priorities in Massachusetts for 2012:

An Act relative to dementia Special Care Units (SCU) in long-term care facilities (H. 347 S. 284)

People with Alzheimer's and their families deserve consistent dementia care in nursing homes!

• There are currently no regulations specifically for nursing homes offering Special Care Units for dementia patients. This act will create minimum quality of care standards for nursing home Special Care Units.

• 44 states have regulations in place overseeing nursing home Special Care Units

• One third of nursing homes in MA have created these Special Care Units and many are run well at the current reimbursement rates. These are not regulations that require additional funding.

• However, facilities in Massachusetts do not have to meet any specific standards in order to promote a "special care unit." This leaves the public at risk for inconsistent care.

• The Department of Public Health needs to set guidelines and regulations for these units including disclosure statement, physical design and activities programming.

• Assisted living communities have dementia care unit regulations, enforced by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, which include training for all staff.
  

The Massachusetts Alzheimer's Project Act (MAPA), (H. 623, S. 1126)

• We need the leadership of Massachusetts to recognize the need for a coordinated statewide effort to confront Alzheimer's by signing onto and passing MAPA.

• Today there are more than 120,000 with Alzheimer's in MA. These numbers will soar with an aging baby boomer generation.

• MAPA will create an office for Alzheimer's disease at EOHHS to coordinate government efforts and ensure that appropriate resources are maximized and leveraged for the 120,000 individuals and their families who live with the challenges of this disease every day.

• MAPA will be budget neutral and does not require any new hiring. A volunteer advisory committee will be created to support this effort.

For more information on the Alzheimer's Association and our Public Policy initiatives, contact Manager of Advocacy, Jennifer Carter at 617.868.6718 x2027 or e-mail jennifer.carter@alz.org.