Young Alzheimer's Activists Storm the Halls of Congress & Demand Presidential Candidates Address its Health & Economic Impacts
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- After gathering 1000+ signatures to support their campaign, more than 50 students and young activists in their 20's will hand-deliver their MoveOn.org petition to the offices of presidential candidates today. These students, who've gathered from top universities around the country, will also hold a rally in the halls of Congress to demand that Alzhiemer's disease be addressed as the nation's top health priority.
The petition includes demanding that presidential candidates and members of Congress work to:
- Invest in better care by increasing support and resources for family caregivers
- Invest in a cure by increasing federal funding for Alzheimer's research
- Harness the power of volunteers to fight ageism and promote healthy aging
- Give caregivers a break by advancing economic and workforce policies that ease economic hardship of caregiving
- Promote an early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's by encouraging early assessment, proactive brain health across the lifespan, and improved access to diagnostic tools among health providers
The campaign is spearheaded by The Youth Movement Against Alzheimer's (YMAA), a nonprofit that is aiming to put Alzheimer's at the forefront of the upcoming election. This event will take place on Capitol Hill as a part of the UsAgainstAlzheimer's Advocacy Day.
"We want to tell our country's leaders that young people care about the Alzheimer's crisis," said YMAA Chairman and co-founder, Nihal Satyadev. "1.5 million young people provide Alzheimer's-related care, and 40 percent go into debt doing it. We should not be punished for becoming caregivers, and these numbers are way too high to go unacknowledged."
Today in the U.S., 16 million caregivers provide 18 billion hours in unpaid care. This equates to an annual cost of $290 billion, which is projected to rise to $1.1 trillion by 2050.
"Alzheimer's disease is not only a healthcare issue, but it's a social and economic issue that can and will bankrupt our economy," said CEO, Harrison Ma. "Youth recognize this problem and want comprehensive solutions."
About The Youth Movement
YMAA is the nation's leading nonprofit in providing opportunities for high school and college students to volunteer, research and advocate for Alzheimer's. YMAA envisions a culture where youth embrace aging and alleviate the impact of Alzheimer's. www.theyouthmovement.org.
Contact: Nihal Satyadev
Board Chair
[email protected]
714-614-3142
SOURCE The Youth Movement Against Alzheimer's
Related Links
http://www.theyouthmovement.org
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