Rural Iowans Impacted with Alzheimer’s Disease

FAMILIES IN RURAL IOWA STRUGGLING WITH THE IMPACT OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND OTHER FORMS OF DEMENTIA FACE A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. ADVOCATES ARE MEETING WITH RESIDENTS TODAY TO ASSESS THEIR MOST URGENT NEEDS.  IOWA CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 26 GERIATRICIANS PRACTICING ACROSS THE STATE. ACCORDING TO THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION, THE STATE NEEDS AT LEAST FOUR TIMES AS MANY TO MEET THE INCREASING DEMAND BY 2050. ADDITIONALLY, THE STATE IS PROJECTED TO REQUIRE 32% MORE DIRECT CARE WORKERS FOR DEMENTIA PATIENTS BY 2030.  THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION REPORTS THAT 11% OF IOWANS AGED 65 AND OLDER ARE LIVING WITH THE DISEASE. AN ONLINE FORUM IS BEING HELD TODAY TO GATHER INPUT FROM AFFECTED RURAL RESIDENTS ABOUT THEIR GREATEST CONCERNS.  APPROXIMATELY 62,000 IOWANS CURRENTLY LIVE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, WHILE ANOTHER 100,000 SERVE AS UNPAID FAMILY CAREGIVERS. AARP IOWA IS ADVOCATING FOR A MEASURE IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT WOULD PROVIDE THESE CAREGIVERS WITH A TAX CREDIT TO HELP OFFSET OUT-OF-POCKET CARE EXPENSES.