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The human and economic impact of Alzheimer’s disease
– on individuals robbed of memory and ability to function
independently, on families overwhelmed by the emotional,
financial and physical burdens of care, and on health care
programs that will not be able to sustain the growing numbers
of people with the disease – provide compelling reasons
for accelerating progress toward reaching our goal of a
world with Alzheimer’s. However, in the midst of a
growing budget deficit, the federal government has decreased
its commitment to biomedical research and funding for programs
that support individuals with Alzheimer’s disease
and their caregivers is in jeopardy.
Alzheimer’s disease is not just another item in the
budget: It is a national crisis in the making. Because age
is a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, the
demographics of our aging society demonstrate that decreasing
funding for research and care in an attempt to reduce the
deficit is penny-wise and pound-foolish.
If this trend continues, Alzheimer’s will strap our
country with a huge burden of elderly disability, and devastate
our economy and health care system. Eliminating the deficit
will do little to improve life for the next generation of
Americans if we leave them with the burden of Alzheimer’s
disease.
The fiscal year 2006 budget approved by Congress reduced
funding for biomedical research for the first time in more
than three decades and for only the third time in the history
of the agency. Funding for Alzheimer research declined by
approximately $4 million, an amount that may not appear
alarming until it is considered alongside the projected
growth in health care spending that Alzheimer’s will
cause if it is not brought under control.
The Deficit Reduction Act passed by Congress late last
year places additional financial restrictions on who can
qualify for Medicaid nursing home coverage, increasing the
already heavy burden on family caregivers. And in February
2006, President Bush released his 2007 budget proposal that
would further reduce the budget for Alzheimer research,
eliminate all of the federally funded Alzheimer care programs
and cut dollars for other programs that provide services
to the frail elderly and their caregivers.
The economic and demographic impact of Alzheimer’s
disease, brought on by the aging of the baby boomers is
a direct threat to the retirement security of millions of
American families and to the fiscal security of the entire
nation.
Next: A Call to Action
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