Minnesota State Alzheimer’s Plan Overview
In 2017, the Minnesota Legislature (2017 Session Law) called on the Minnesota Board on Aging to reconvene the Alzheimer’s Disease Working Group (ADWG) to review and revise the Preparing Minnesota for Alzheimer’s: the Budgetary, Social and Personal Impacts. As with the original 2009 work group, this working group made recommendations for policies and programs that would prepare Minnesota for the future. The 2018 work group was led by a Minnesotan who is living with mild cognitive impairment and included health care providers, family caregivers, researchers, and representatives from state and local health and human services agencies. The ADWG gathered expert research and background information and solicited input from the general public. The Alzheimer’s Disease Working Group Legislative Report was published in January 2019 and presented to the Minnesota Legislature.
Minnesota 2024 Policy Priorities
Establish a Dementia Services Coordinator Position
Minnesota spends $905 million in Medicaid costs to care for people living with Alzheimer’s. With such significant costs, the state must ensure there is a coordinated statewide response to mitigate future impact. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state lawmakers to establish a permanent, full-time dementia services coordinator position to increase interagency coordination in the development of policies and programs that serve people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia across the state.
Expand Access to Respite Care for Dementia Caregivers
Last year, caregivers in Minnesota provided nearly $5.3 billion dollars of unpaid care to loved ones living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. More than half of caregivers in the state are reported to have chronic health conditions. With these factors in mind, respite for dementia caregivers is crucial for their health and well-being. Respite care provides a much-needed break for family caregivers, allowing the caregiver to take care of their personal medical issues, complete tasks outside of the home, or simply enjoy time off from the demands of caregiving. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state policymakers to appropriate $2 million to expand access to respite care services for dementia caregivers.
Educate Students on Alzheimer’s and Dementia
With the population of people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia growing rapidly, increasing public awareness of the disease is more important than ever. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling for the creation of a voluntary health curriculum module on Alzheimer’s and healthy aging for students in grades 8-12. Empowering students with knowledge of Alzheimer’s and other dementia will promote risk reduction strategies, ensure people living with dementia are better supported, and effect change for as many Minnesotans as possible.
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101,900
people living with Alzheimer’s in Minnesota
164,000
Minnesotans are providing unpaid care
$905 Million
Medicaid cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s (2020)
2,251
deaths from Alzheimer’s since 2021
21%
in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
221.4%
increase of geriatricians in Minnesota needed to meet the demand in 2050
Resources to Drive Change in Minnesota
The following resources developed by AIM and the Alzheimer’s Association will help you learn more about the issues impacting people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, how Minnesota policymakers are addressing these gaps, and how you can help drive change.