The 2022 edition of Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, the Association's annual compilation of national statistics and information detailing the impact of Alzheimer's and dementia on individuals, families, government and the nation's health care system, was released in March. The special report, More Than Normal Aging: Understanding Mild Cognitive Impairment, revealed the need to raise awareness of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among the American public and the medical community. MCI, often misidentified as normal aging, is a condition marked by subtle changes in memory and thinking that may signal a progression to dementia.
Recognized each June, the Association's Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month is an opportunity to share information and facilitate open conversations around Alzheimer's and all other dementia. The Association elevated the voices of individuals living with early-stage dementia by sharing six things they would like others to know about their experience. The campaign was designed to educate the public on reducing stigma and to dispel common misconceptions about the disease.
The Association partnered with the Ad Council to launch a new campaign for National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month in November. Inspired by real families, "Hopeful Together" featured stories of people who initiated conversations when they first noticed signs of cognitive changes in themselves or loved ones.
A national advertising campaign for the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's launched in July 2021. The campaign, which ran through mid-November, deployed a variety of media to spread the word about the event and the work of the Association, including television, streaming audio and digital video.
ALZ®, the Association's nationwide full-mission magazine, shares inspiration and information about ending Alzheimer's and offers tips on how to make your brain the focus of a healthy lifestyle. Three issues were published in FY22, featuring actor Michael Chiklis, legendary singer Tony Bennett, and chef and TV personality Carla Hall on respective covers. Distribution totaled 520,000 print and digital copies, a 36% increase over FY21. Subscriptions saw impressive growth, increasing 70%, and magazine impressions totaled 6.8 million. A special condensed version of the ALZ winter issue was placed on the back of TIME magazine's print edition, a first for the latter publication, reaching an audience of 1.6 million. Additionally, a special version of the spring issue of ALZ was included with a mailing of the July/August issue of Better Homes & Gardens, delivered to 150,000 subscribers nationwide.
In November, Bennett, who is living with Alzheimer's, and global singer-songwriter Lady Gaga starred in a public service announcement highlighting the Association's mission and resources. The duo came together the same month for "One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga," a CBS television special that helped raise awareness and reduce stigma around the disease.
The Association's website, alz.org, continued to serve as a valuable resource for Alzheimer's care, support and research, providing services to constituents 22,972,536 times. The Association also delivered critical Alzheimer's information to the public through 11.6 billion total media impressions.
Recognizing its best-in-class functionality, user design, and learning and engagement tools, the Science Hub app won a bronze Anthem Award in the Health-Research Projects/Publications category, with downloads exceeding 25,000. The free mobile platform was launched in 2019 to help scientists and the general public stay informed about the latest Alzheimer's and dementia research.
Social media continued to drive conversation about Alzheimer's and the Association, helping to break down stigma through two-way storytelling. The combined social media following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram increased by 13% to more than 1.35 million users. Facebook continued to be a major channel for social giving, and social media continued to have a significant impact on event recruitment and retention.
Six new recording artists joined Music Moments, the Association's ongoing digital storytelling series, which spotlights the personal stories of award-winning musicians, demonstrating the connection between music and the moments in life that we never want to lose. The project's first Latin contributor, multiplatinum-selling global artist Luis Fonsi, produced content in both English and Spanish. Musicians Lauren Alaina, Nicholas Petricca, Electra Mustaine, Sara Evans and Musiq Soulchild also joined the series.
The Association called on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide broader coverage for aducanumab (Aduhelm™) and other Alzheimer's treatment drugs of this class. The first-ever Food and Drug Administration-approved medication that treats the underlying biology of Alzheimer's, aducanumab was granted accelerated approval for the treatment of Alzheimer's, but several barriers have made the drug largely inaccessible.
The Association ranked #1 on The NonProfit Times' list of "Best Nonprofits to Work For". The Association has been recognized on the distinguished list for 13 consecutive years, and this year earned the top spot after ranking third in the large nonprofit category in FY21. The annual survey emphasizes employee development, recognition measures and workplace culture.