California State Plan Confronting Projected Alzheimer's Epidemic to Be Unveiled at Capitol

California State Plan Confronting Projected Alzheimer's Epidemic to Be Unveiled at Capitol

California's 10-year Plan Outlines Actions to Address Patient Care, Caregiver Support, Workforce Development, Research and More

What:

Senator Elaine Alquist (D-San Jose), chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Aging and Long Term Care, will reveal the California State Plan for Alzheimer's disease at a press conference this Wednesday at the Capitol. She will be joined by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), member of the Assembly Committee on Health, and leading members of the California Council of the Alzheimer's Association and Alzheimer's Disease State Plan Task Force.

Why:

In response to Senator Alquist's SB 491, the State Plan was created under the leadership of the Alzheimer's Association, California Health and Human Services Agency and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee. More than 2,500 individuals were engaged in the two-year-long creation of the State Plan, including those living with the disease, representatives from underserved communities, healthcare providers, family caregivers, researchers, academicians and elder law experts. Action to cope with Alzheimer's and related dementias must be taken now, as research indicates by 2030, the number of Californians age 55 and older living with Alzheimer's will double to 1.1 million, with triple the number of Asians and Latinos affected by the disease in the next 20 years.

When/Where:

Wednesday, March 9 at 10:10 a.m., California State Capitol, Room 4203

Note: Interviews can be arranged following the event with news organizations and reporters unable to attend the press conference.

Who:

-- Mary Sundsmo, MBA, President, California Council, Alzheimer's
Association; UCSD Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
-- Senator Elaine Alquist, Author of SB 491
-- Senator Mark Leno, chair, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee
-- Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal, member, Assembly Committee on Health
-- Dorelee Heisler, living with Alzheimer's disease and a member of the
California Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee
-- Joshua Chodosh, MD, MSHS, UCLA and VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care
System, co-chair of the Alzheimer's Disease State Plan Task Force

Visuals:

-- More than 100 supporters clad in purple Alzheimer's Association sashes
-- Posters depicting the consequences of Alzheimer's disease

Contact:

Lisa Yates 916.552.2650 (office); 916.215.9550 (cell)

Lori Aldrete 916.501.2654

Corinne Chee 916.508.1611

/PRNewswire -- March 7, 2011/

SOURCE California Council, Alzheimer's Association

California Council, Alzheimer's Association

-------
Profile: intent