Advocacy

With the help of our generous donors and more than 500 advocacy ambassadors across the country, The Judy Fund is an unwavering force in the fight to make Alzheimer’s a national priority.

The disease is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S. It is the most expensive in America. It affects everyone, and the number of cases is growing fast.

To scientists researching a cure, federal research funding is crucial. To families facing Alzheimer’s, legislative policies are needed to improve care for those with the disease and to expand options for the loved ones looking after them.

Voices advocating on behalf of all facing Alzheimer's are necessary in Washington, and The Judy Fund is making sure those voices are heard.
 

How we’re making a difference:

The Judy Fund started investing in the Alzheimer’s Association Ambassador Program when it was created in 2010. Thanks to our donors, the program has grown from a small pilot of 24 people to an expanding network of more than 500 grassroots volunteers who maintain conversations with all 535 members of Congress year round. The Ambassador Program has played a key role in these recent legislative achievements in Washington:

• Following a $226 million increase signed into law in December 2022, and added to current NIH spending, annual federal funding for Alzheimer’s research will be more than $3.7 billion.
• Federal law now gives individuals with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease access to services previously available only to older Americans. These include nutritional programs, respite for family caregivers, transportation, legal services and more.
• The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Promoting Alzheimer’s Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act in 2020. This important bill would require the Department of Justice to develop training materials to assist professionals supporting victims of abuse living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

• The Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act is working to strengthen the public health infrastructure across the country by implementing effective Alzheimer's interventions focused on increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk, and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.