Town Hall Meeting to Gather Information for National Alzheimer Action Plan

The Alzheimer’s Association will host a Town Hall Meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Aug. 30, at Alexander Gardens, 2120 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, to gather feedback from the people of the Central Coast on the issues the government should address in its final National Alzheimer’s Plan. Representative Lois Capps has been invited to participate.

This Town Hall “listening session” is one of about 100 being held across the country this month. It is an opportunity to speak up about the everyday challenges and hardships of Alzheimer’s the national strategy must address.

“For years, those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease stayed silent,” said Rhonda Spiegel, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association, California Central Coast Chapter. “This is an opportunity for our community to come together and break that silence. I am incredibly grateful that our elected leaders are taking this opportunity to listen and learn about Alzheimer’s.”

The Alzheimer’s Association asks those wanting to attend to RSVP at Alz.org/NAPA or to Andrew Peake at Andrew.Peake@alz.org. This event is free to the public, but space is limited.

Anyone who would like to attend to listen to the thoughts and opinions of others is welcome to do so. There will also be feedback forms available at the Town Hall for those who don’t speak publically at the meeting but who still want their voice heard.

In January, President Obama signed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) into law. Upon its signing, Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, pledged to create an “aggressive and coordinated national strategy” to confront the rapidly escalating Alzheimer’s crisis.

Already the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, the number of Alzheimer’s patients is expected to triple in the next 20 years, threatening to bankrupt families, businesses and the national healthcare system.

You can learn more about NAPA by going to alz.org/napa.

About the Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. The mission of the Alzheimer’s Association is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. To learn more about the work of the Alzheimer’s Association, or to locate resources locally, visit alz.org.