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Alzheimer's Association & the Pennsylvania Health Care Association Announce Strategic Alliance Focused on Expanding Quality Care For those Impacted by Dementia

Alzheimer's Association & the Pennsylvania Health Care Association Announce Strategic Alliance Focused on Expanding Quality Care For those Impacted by Dementia
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April 7, 2021
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Alzheimer's Association & the Pennsylvania Health Care Association Announce Strategic Alliance Focused on Expanding Quality Care For those Impacted by Dementia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Jeremy Bland, 610-955-1754, jbland@alz.org



HARRISBURG, PA, April 6, 2021 – Across the state of Pennsylvania there are more than 280,000 people living with Alzheimer’s disease. Behind that number are thousands of caregivers, either at home or in a long-term care facility, administering care for this vulnerable population. Today, the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Pennsylvania and Delaware Valley Chapters and the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA), are announcing a new strategic alliance, established to expand the reach and impact of the critical services provided by each organization in an effort to continue providing better care for Pennsylvania’s aging population. 
As part of this alliance, both organizations will work to support and extend the mission of its partner, by cross-promoting vital programs and services and by providing new opportunities for engagement across their communities.

“This newly formed alliance will bring our organizations together in support of a common goal: to provide more resources, expand access to programs, increase education, and ultimately, to ensure quality care for residents of Pennsylvania who are impacted by dementia,” said Clay Jacobs, Executive Director of the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, through this formal alliance, to make an even greater impact across the state.”

“Pennsylvania is home to the third-oldest population in the country, and long-term care facilities throughout the state, including nursing homes, personal care homes and assisted living communities, are caring for more and more residents affected by dementia,” said Zach Shamberg, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association. “Providers and frontline staff recognize the growing need for dementia care and the services that support both their residents and their families. We are proud to partner with the Alzheimer’s Association to better prepare Pennsylvania for this growing challenge, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

To kick off this new alliance, the organizations will co-host a webinar on Tuesday, April 13 to help families connect and communicate with loved ones at each stage of Alzheimer’s. This informative session is particularly timely as visitations in long-term care communities resume during the COVID-19 pandemic. Families are reuniting after a year of separation and may find themselves struggling to reconnect or talk with a loved one that is diagnosed with dementia.

“My father passed away the day my mother’s nursing home ended visitations because of COVID-19 and I’ve had to carry the weight for a year of my mom not knowing she lost her husband,” said Lori Turberville, daughter of a nursing home resident at a PHCA member nursing home in Armstrong County. “My mom lives with dementia and I struggled with whether or not to tell her when I saw her again. A lot has changed in a year and families will need the kind of support the Alzheimer’s Association and PHCA are offering.”

Registration for the Effective Communication Strategies webinar on April 13 can be made by calling, 800-272-3900 or visiting the registration page on the Alzheimer’s Association's website.

The Alzheimer’s Association and PHCA will also collaborate on other webinar learning opportunities for members and their families, with a focus on sharing information about resources, support and tools in order to help families cope with and gain a better understanding of the disease. In partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, PHCA will promote Alzheimer’s Association resources and events—such as The Walk to End Alzheimer’s — and highlight specific volunteer opportunities with its various members. Similarly, the Alzheimer’s Association will promote PHCA events and programs through its channels and relationships across the state. There will also be a joint effort to expand access to and information about the Alzheimer's Association’s new Person-Centered Dementia Care Training Program, which educates professional care workers on current evidence-based, person-centered practices to care for individuals living with dementia. 

PHCA advocates for compassionate, quality, long-term care for Pennsylvania’s elderly and disabled residents, with more than 400 long-term care and senior service provider member organizations throughout the state. Together with the Alzheimer's Association, the two organizations will each provide the other with access to new venues and audiences, who could most benefit from available resources. The alliance will also open additional channels for sharing information, from notable research, funding and advocacy updates from the Association, to details of programs and events hosted by each organization throughout the year.

Together, the Alzheimer’s Association and PHCA will continue to advocate for and provide resources to those residents in Pennsylvania who are impacted by dementia. 

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About the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA):
The Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA) is a statewide advocacy organization for Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents and their providers of care. Our members include for-profit and nonprofit skilled nursing facilities, personal care homes and assisted living residences. Together, we represent more than 400 long-term care and senior service providers and more than 50,000 elderly and disabled individuals. For more information, visit phca.org.

Alzheimer's Association

The Alzheimer's Association leads the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia.™ For more information, visit www.alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.

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