The number of people living with Alzheimer’s is projected to triple to as many as 16 million in 2050, with costs expected to rise to $1.1 trillion!

In Connecticut, there are now over 75,000 people living with the disease, with an anticipated increase to 91,000 by 2025. In our agency, we’ve witnessed the devastating effects that Alzheimer's can have on patients and families.

This disease robs people of their dignity regardless of their education, income, gender and race. The Alzheimer's Association and Alzheimer's Impact Movement worked with bipartisan champions in the House and Senate to introduce legislation in Congress, the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (S. 2076 / H.R. 4256), which prioritizes a national approach to Alzheimer’s disease as a public health issue. The BOLD Act would create a public health infrastructure to implement effective interventions such as increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.

Addressing Alzheimer’s disease as a public health issue will implement community change, increase quality of life for those affected and reduce costs. We urge Congressman Courtney to support our efforts for intervention and a cure.

Caleb Roseme

Norwich

The writer is the owner of Assured Quality Homecare.