NYS Health Commissioner Zucker Encourages Health Care Providers To Play Larger Role With Alzheimer's

ALBANY, N.Y., Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, M.D., appealed to health care providers in a recent letter regarding the state's efforts to support those with Alzheimer's and dementia and "strongly urge[d] health care personnel to play their part in the early detection/diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and dementia." The communication was part of the health department's efforts to implement The Healthy Brain Initiative: The Public Health Road Map for State and National Partnerships, 2013-2018.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that attacks the brain, killing nerve cells and tissue, and affects an individual's ability to remember, think and plan. Every 66 seconds, someone in the United States develops the disease. There is no treatment or cure for Alzheimer's, and it is always fatal. Almost 400,000 New Yorkers currently suffer from Alzheimer's or related dementias, and more than one million unpaid caregivers share in the financial and emotional burden of this incurable disease.

"We applaud Commissioner Zucker for his support of New Yorkers with Alzheimer's and related dementias, and his efforts to encourage health care providers to seek an active role in their care," said Christopher Smith, Executive Director for the Alzheimer's Association-NYC Chapter. "Early detection and diagnosis are pivotal to helping those with Alzheimer's, and health care providers are essential partners in this effort."

Researchers believe that the early detection of Alzheimer's will be key to preventing, slowing and stopping the disease. Diagnosing Alzheimer's requires a careful and comprehensive medical evaluation, often with the help of a neurologist (2016 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, Alzheimer's Association). The benefits of early detection include increased treatment options and access to information, services and support; advance planning for health, housing, finances, care and risk reduction; and better overall health outcomes.

This is especially important, as 11 percent of New Yorkers aged 45 and older report that they are experiencing confusion or memory loss, and more than half of them have not discussed it with their health care professionals (2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System).

In support of those with Alzheimer's and dementia and their caregivers, New York implemented a $25 million Alzheimer's Disease Support Initiative in 2015, the first of its kind in the nation. Components of this initiative include ten Centers of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease, ten regional caregiver supportive projects across the State, and the Alzheimer's Disease Community Assistance Program (AlzCAP).

The Coalition of New York State Alzheimer's Association Chapters coordinates AlzCAP, the first and most robust statewide initiative of its kind, to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the information, care and support they need during their long journey with Alzheimer's disease. Jane Ginsburg, Executive Director of the Coalition, noted that "as more and more New Yorkers affected by the disease understand the full impact Alzheimer's and other related dementias have on their day-to-day lives, the services and expertise the Alzheimer's Association provides becomes critically important to them, their family members and caregivers, and to healthcare providers and stakeholders."

Alzheimer's costs Medicaid more than $4 billion in New York each year. By 2025, it is estimated that more than 460,000 New Yorkers aged 65 or older will suffer from the disease, an increase of almost 18 percent increase from today.

SOURCE Alzheimer’s Association - NYC Chapter