The Alzheimer’s State Plan Task Force thinks Missouri has a lot to do to be ready for the much larger number of Alzheimer’s victims we’ll have in fifteen more years.
The task force says more than 110,000 Missourians have Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. In fifteen years that number is expected to rise to 130,000. Its report says causes of death from stroke, prostate and breast cancer, heart disease, and HIV dropped three to 18 percent from 2000 through 2006 while deaths from Alzheimer’s complications went up 46 percent.
The task force says the state needs to chart a course to deal with those trends, beginning with improving the diagnostic services leading to early intervention, creating a way for people to find services. and increasing affordable community and home based services.
Task force chairman Peter Kinder says victims are not the only ones deserving attention. “The caregiver needs maximum support,” he says.
The task force says Missouri needs more people trained in dealing with Alzheimer’s cases and needs to continue groundbreaking research in Alzheimer’s and related disorders.
Hanging over the realization of any of these goals is the state’s financial situation. Until it improves, Kinder says he and other task force members need to make sure the issue remains before the public.
We have a link to the task force report:
http://blogs.mo.gov/alztaskforce/