“The Obama administration declared Alzheimer’s one of the country’s biggest health challenges on Tuesday, adopting a national strategy that sets the clock ticking toward better treatments by 2025 — along with help for suffering families today.” So begins the Associated Press’s article about today’s big announcement.
Science writer Lauran Neergaard continues, “This summer, doctors and other health providers can start getting some free training on how to spot the early signs of Alzheimer’s and the best ways to care for those patients.”
“And scientists are rolling up their sleeves, National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins told a meeting of the world’s top Alzheimer’s scientists — gathered to decide the top priorities to help meet that ambitious goal of better treatments, perhaps even ways to stall the disease, by 2025.”
Check out the newly launched official U.S. government website (managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services), another component of this landmark strategy to fight Alzheimer’s:
http://www.alzheimers.gov/
On the front page of the site they state,
“Welcome to alzheimers.gov, the government’s free information resource about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Here you can find links to authoritative, up-to-date information from agencies and organizations with expertise in these areas.”
The alzheimers.gov site covers a broad array of information about dementia: from treatment options (including clinical trials) to managing finances, from caregiver resources to information on fighting Alzheimer’s.
This site is a good one to bookmark and return to: it also contains important links to resources around the web.
Enjoy poking around!
UPDATE (5/16/2012)
Reuters wrote a great, detailed piece about the new U.S. Alzheimer’s plan. View it here:
U.S. launches ambitious Alzheimer’s plan
an excerpt:
Among the immediate actions will be funding for a study involving an antibody drug that attacks amyloid — a protein thought to be a cause of Alzheimer’s — in an international study of people who are genetically predisposed to develop the disease early.
The second will test the use of an insulin nasal spray to restore memory in patients with Alzheimer’s.
An earlier, small study of the latter approach by Suzanne Craft of the University of Washington published last year showed memory improvements in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s or a pre-Alzheimer’s condition called amnestic mild cognitive impairment.
Funding for the new initiatives will come from $50 million the Obama administration has set aside for the National Alzheimer’s Plan for fiscal 2012.
Another $100 million has been earmarked for fiscal 2013, including $80 million for research, $4.2 million for public awareness, $4 million for provider education, $10.5 million in caregiver support, and $1.3 million to improve data collection.
The national plan, called for in the National Alzheimer’s Project Act signed by President Barack Obama last year, and drafted by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), reflects the input of 3,600 people or organizations. continue reading
U.S. launches ambitious Alzheimer’s plan
Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen ; Editing by David Brunnstrom
Reuters (5/15/2012)
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Unit Known as ShandiNovember 16, 2011Bette, What a beautiful piutcre. I love your perspective. It really is about savoring every moment, and I’m glad that you are able to do that, and that your Mom felt good enough to want to go. Hugs for you both.