Urge Congress to support bill to fight Alzheimer's

I am a registered nurse working in home care, specifically with clients with cognitive deficits. About seven years ago, my mother started to show signs of dementia. Despite my background, I was not prepared for what was to come.

I had to educate myself to be the best I could be for her, and for my extended family. I sought support from the Alzheimer's Association and found information, resources, and a community of people who genuinely wanted to help me in my role as a caregiver.

In the USA, someone develops Alzheimer's every 65 seconds, and two-thirds of its annual costs are being borne by Medicare and Medicaid. This pressing issue demands more attention than ever from our government.

This June, I will head to Capitol Hill alongside 1,300 advocates from across the country to urge our elected representatives to increase funding for research and to shift the thinking about Alzheimer's disease from an aging issue to a public health crisis.

Alzheimer's is the most expensive disease in America today and costs the country more than $259 billion a year, which is why we need the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act (H.R. 4256).

Endorsed by the Alzheimer's Association, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act would create a country-wide Alzheimer's public health infrastructure to implement effective Alzheimer's interventions, including more early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.

I urge everyone to join me in calling on Congressman Meeks and other representatives to co-sponsor the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act today (H.R. 4256)

Yulandie Latham is the Alzheimer's Ambassador to Rep. Gregory Meeks and a resident of Queens.