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Join the cause

The Alzheimer’s Association--Georgia Chapter invites you to become an Alzheimer advocate. Join us and speak up for the needs and rights of people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families.

Add your voice to ours — become an advocate today.

Upcoming events

Please visit our Memory Walk page and join us for the walk closest to you.
Sign up now to become an Advocate.

What is an advocate?

Alzheimer advocates play an important role in improving the quality of care and quality of life for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families by working to improve dementia care and services; improve access to community-based care; improve quality care in residential settings; and expand funding for research and public programs serving people with dementia.

As an advocate, you will:

• Receive regular updates about current legislative and public policy issues.
• Stay on top of policy and legislative issues through alerts and updates.
• Make calls or write to legislators to forward public policy priorities to improve quality of life for those living with Alzheimer’s.

Georgia advocacy  

We had a successful year in the Georgia Legislature this year. 

• Senate Resolution 257--Alzheimer's Disease Task Force--signed by Governor on April 30, 2009--creates a task force to determine how we can better estimate the number of individuals with Alzhiemer's disease in GA; assess current policies related to caring for Alzheimer's patients; assess future state needs
• Alzheimer's Respite Services--Appropriations--We requested to restore the $415,281 cut; in the final budget, $190,281 (approximately 1/2 of the originally budgeted funds) were restored.
• Protection of Alzheimer's Patients--House Bill 457--On Tuesday, May 5, at 2:15 p.m, Governor Sunny Perdue signed House Bill 457 into law.  The final version adds the following language to the definition of dementia:  "or has dementia or a related cognitive impairment."  It further adds that "(2) In addition to any other perovision of law, it shall be unlawful for a person to act with the specific intent to abuse, neglect, or commit exploitation of any disabled adult.  for purposes of this paragraph only, the term 'disabled adult' means a person 18 years of age or older who is:  (A) A resident of a long-term care facility, as defined in Article 4 of Chapter 8 of Title 31: and (B) Mentally or physically incapacitated or has dementia or a related cognitive impairment.  A long-term care facility shall not be held criminally liable for the actions of a person who is convicted pursuant to this paragraph.  Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to preempt any other law or to deny to any individual any rights or remedies which are provided under any other law."   
• Senate Resolution 505--"...urging Congress to eliminate the 24 month waiting period for participants in Social Security Disability Insurance."  On April 15, the Resolution was  transmitted to the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate.  At the Federal level, on March 25, legislation was introduced in both the House and Senate, to phase out the 24 month waiting period for Social Security...In the Senate, Senator Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico, introduced Senate Bill S.700; in the House, Representative Gene Green, Texas, introduced H.R.1708.

Georgia advocates are being asked to join us in visiting our Georgia delegation while they are home on recess from Washington, May 25 - May 29.  Each regional office will be organizing teams of advocates to set appointments and visit their elected officials to share with them our three national priorities as listed below.  Advocates will especially focus on the GA Senate Resolution 505, asking Congress to eliminate the Medicare 2-year Wait Period, as Georgia's Senators recognized the hardship on Georgia's families--they took action to ask Congress to help.

• Increase the fiscal year 2010 Alzheimer research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $250 million with a goal of reaching $1 billion per year in funding in fiscal year 2011.  This accelerates the investment in medical research to develop the capability to prevent Alzheimer's disease in ninety percent of individuals by 2020.
• Establish the Alzheimer's Solutions Project Office within the federal government backed by an appropriate scale of investment.  This office would lead national efforts to reengineer dementia care delivery and, ultimately, prevent Alzheimer's disease.
• Phase out Medicare's two-year waiting period so individuals with Alzheimer's are eligible for Medicare immediately after they receive their determination of disability.  This improves access to health coverage for individuals with Alzheimer's as a part of health care reform.  On March 25, legislation was introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate, to phase out the 24 month waiting period for Social Security, and to allow those with a terminal illness immediate access...In the Senate, Senator Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico, introduced Senate Bill S.700; in the House, Representative Gene Green, Texas, introduced H.R.1708.  We thank GA Representatives John Lewis, Sanford Bishop, David Scott, and Hank Johnson for signing on as cosponsors of the bill!

Visit this site frequently to see what is happening--most recent information listed in red!

Read our Progress Report on the status of the Alzheimer's Association Georgia Chapter 2008 Public Policy Platform.

Georgia Department of Aging

Federal advocacy

•  Federal update
•  National priorities