Alzheimer’s disease is a growing public health crisis in Washington. The impact of Alzheimer’s is projected to rise, and the most recent data show:

• 127,000 people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s in Washington.
• 11.1% of people aged 45 and older have subjective cognitive decline.
• 247,000 family caregivers bear the burden of the disease in Washington.
• 378 million hours of unpaid care provided by Alzheimer’s caregivers.
• $9.4 billion is the value of the unpaid care.
• $689 million is the cost of Alzheimer’s to the state Medicaid program.

These numbers show that a public health approach is necessary to lessen the burden and enhance the quality of life for those living with cognitive impairment and their families.

Learn more about Washington: Alzheimer’s Statistics (PDF), Cognitive Decline (PDF), Dementia Caregiving (PDF), Risk Factors (PDF), County-Level Alzheimer's Prevalence (PDF)

Tribes in your state

Use the HBI Road Map for American Indian and Alaska Native Peoples to start conversations with tribal leaders on public health actions that can be taken to support brain health and caregivers. Find tribal leaders and federally recognized tribes in your state: Tribal Leaders Directory.

Public health spotlight

In Washington, the Department of Health educated African American women about cognitive health — including education on potential risk reduction activities — by partnering with the Center for MultiCultural Health to tailor and disseminate brain health messages throughout the African American community.

The Washington State Department of Health partnered with the Washington Health Care Authority to provide Alzheimer’s awareness, education, and resources to the Authority’s 300,000 beneficiaries (including state employees).

The Washington State Department of Health conducted an internal agency evaluation to assess the whole public health agency’s ability to address Alzheimer’s, cognitive health, and caregiving. The results helped streamline the agency’s efforts and identify gaps.

The Washington State Department of Health published Implementing the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map: A Toolkit for Public Health Organizations (PDF), a practical implementation guide for health departments and other organizations to implement the HBI Road Map and adopt a public health approach to Alzheimer's, brain health and caregiving issues. The toolkit provides specific guidance for health departments to assess and implement a robust HBI action plan.

State plan overview

In March 2014, Governor Jay Inslee signed Substitute Senate Bill 6124 charging the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to convene a prescribed membership for anAlzheimer's Disease Working Group (ADWG) to develop a Washington State Plan to address Alzheimer’s disease. The working group contains stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds, including professional and unpaid caregivers, persons with Alzheimer’s disease and experts from many different parts of the medical field. SSB 6124 did not provide designated funding, so DSHS stretched existing funding and resources to meet the legislative requirement. $110,000 of federal Older Americans Act Administrative funds were used to fund facilitator and meeting costs. The Washington State Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias was published in January 2016. Leading the charge to implement the plan is the Dementia Action Collaborative — a group of public-private partners committed to preparing Washington State for the growth of the dementia population. Four agency staff members — housed within the Department of Health, the Health Care Authority and the Department of Social and Health Services — support the work of the Dementia Action Collaborative.

Resources for action

State and local public health agencies around the country are taking action against Alzheimer’s by implementing the Healthy Brain Initiative: State and Local Road Map for Public Health, 2023–2027. Public health practitioners can learn by example and find resources to help guide their response below.