Alzheimer’s Association Florida Gulf Coast Chapter
The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter was founded in 1984, known then as the Tampa Bay Chapter it served Pinellas, Hillsborough and Polk counties. In 1999, the West Central Florida Chapter was merged with the Tampa Bay Chapter adding Citrus, Hernando, Pasco and Sumter counties increasing the Chapter's service region to seven counties. In 2003, the Sarasota/Manatee Chapter and the Southwest Florida Chapters were merged into the Tampa Bay Chapter. These mergers added Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardy, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Manatee, and Sarasota counties to the Chapter's service region. With this expansion, the Tampa Bay Chapter changed its name to the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter to better reflect its comprehensive 17 county service region.
Within the 17 counties that comprise the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs estimates that in 2016 there were 184,035 people living with Alzheimer's disease. This number does not include the Snowbirds who reside in the region during the winter months.
There are only eight states with higher incidence of Alzheimer's than that within our Chapter's service region. Nationally one in every 61 people of all ages has Alzheimer's disease. In the State of Florida it is one in every 40 people. In the areas served by the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter 1 in every 33 people of all ages has Alzheimer's disease!
The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter meets the challenge of such overwhelming numbers through a dedicated staff of 25 based out of four regional offices including a mobile classroom and office- the Memory Mobile that that targets rural and inner city communities.
It is estimated that there are 540,000 people living with Alzheimer's disease in the State of Florida. That represents over 10% of the 5.7 million cases in the United States.
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