Happy Holidays to You All!

Welcome readers!
On behalf of the Alzheimer's Association, Greater New Jersey Chapter, I would like to wish you all a Happy Holiday Season and Happy New Year! Here are few things I would like to share with you:

Memory Walk and Advocacy
What a great season we had! We had four amazing walks this year and were successful in recruiting 120 new advocates! As the year ends and we look ahead to 2010, let us remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi:  “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” For the New Year and beyond, let us stand united in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. As an advocate, it is important to keep the movers and shakers of public policy interested. Advocacy is a grassroots effort. This form of advocacy is one of the most effective ways of bringing about change. The more advocates we have, the louder our voice. Effective advocacy lies in team effort. Ask a friend, colleague and/or neighbor to become an advocate this New Year, and have them call us at 609.275.1180, for information on becoming an advocate. Let’s continue the momentum of Memory Walk and advocacy into the New Year and beyond!

Federal Updates

Health Care Reform Update
On November 7 the House of Representatives passed the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," H.R.3962, by a vote of 220-215.

We are pleased that many Alzheimer's-specific provisions were included in the House version of health care reform legislation. As the Senate works on its version of the health reform bill, we will continue to weigh-in to ensure that Alzheimer related provisions are included.

Learn more about Alzheimer's-related provisions here.

Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act
This legislation authorizes a significant increase in funding for Alzheimer research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to $2 billion to restore momentum to the pursuit of better diagnosis, prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

When the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act was introduced in 2007, Alzheimer advocates helped secure 92 cosponsors over 19 months. Because the bill was never brought to a vote, the Breakthrough Act (S.1492/H.R.3286) was reintroduced this year in July. In just five busy months, thanks again to the remarkable efforts of advocates, we have secured 111 cosponsors to support this bill!

Because we still have a long way to go in the process of the Breakthrough Act becoming law, we need to keep up the momentum on this bipartisan legislation. Check out the list of current cosponsors here. If your members of Congress are not listed, ask them to sign on today!

State Updates

NJ Alzheimer’s Disease Study Commission – Advocacy Action Needed!
Please contact your legislator, and ask him/her to add their support to this bill. Click here to find your legislator and take action! . Tell public officials that Alzheimer’s disease affects loved ones, friends and neighbors. It places an enormous burden on family caregivers who must endure prolonged physical, emotional, and financial stress. Urge them to review this bill and commit to reintroducing this legislation in the new session. The bill numbers for the 2008-2009 sessions were: (S2872/A4008).

The NJ Alzheimer’s Disease Study Commission will: give an overview of the impact of Alzheimer's disease in New Jersey; analyze all areas affected by Alzheimer's issues; identify existing services and service gaps; and propose legislation to the New Jersey Legislature and the Governor on how the state can better serve individuals with Alzheimer's disease and their families.
Stay tuned in 2010 for a new blog entry and to learn more about what is going in state and federal policy. For more information about public policy and advocacy, please visit http://www.alznj.org/. Thank you for visiting our blog; we welcome your comments here.

November 2 was Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Day in New Jersey and November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month!

Welcome readers!
I want to first share with you an exciting Memory Walk update. It has been a busy season, and the Walks were great. At our advocacy table this year, we were flooded with interested individuals who wanted to become advocates. We were successful in recruiting 120 new advocates!! Our voices are getting louder!

The end of our Memory Walk season took us into the beginning of Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and Day. We have planned a number of activities in effort to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease within our state.

State House Display

For the first time, we had an informational display table set up at the State House in Trenton, in Goldfinch Square, from Friday, October 30 through Friday, November 6, to help raise even greater awareness within the New Jersey legislative community.

Candlelight Vigils

In an effort to unite New Jerseyans affected by Alzheimer’s disease and raise awareness of the disease in New Jersey, the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater New Jersey Chapter hosted One Night, One Light™ candlelight vigils on Monday, November 2, which was Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Day in New Jersey, at the following locations: Crestwood Manor in Whiting; Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly; and Raritan Health in Raritan.

Special Advocacy Awareness Program

On Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Day in New Jersey, we hosted a special Advocacy Awareness program at the Morris County Library in Whippany. The special guest speaker was Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ).

Union County Caregiver Conference

The Association will host a program about the importance of advocacy and public policy during a portion of the Union County Caregiver Conference, Union County College, Cranford, on Saturday, November 7, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Call to Action E-Blast

An e-blast to all Alzheimer's Association advocates was sent on Friday, October 30, and asked them to call, e-mail and/or send a letter to their State Senator and Assemblyman/Assemblywoman to let them know that November 2 is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Day in New Jersey and that they must take a stand against this debilitating disease.

Billboard and Posters for Awareness

And finally, beginning the week of November 2 and running throughout the month, billboards with the Association’s distinctive purple and white messaging will go up in four central locations in Trenton, and posters with similar messaging will be displayed in legislative offices throughout the Chapter’s 14-county service area.

We hope that these activities in November will allow advocates to join together and make our VOICE heard! Public policy and advocacy plays a crucial role in helping to ease the burden of Alzheimer’s disease. Let’s stand united in our fight against Alzheimer’s!

For more information about public policy and advocacy, please visit http://www.alznj.org/. Thank you for visiting our blog; we welcome your comments here.

Welcome to the Alzheimer's Association, Greater New Jersey Advocacy Blog!

Welcome readers! As a part of our ongoing advocacy efforts, our chapter is starting this blog in order to engage with our advocates and also to keep them informed on the latest advocacy and public policy work in New Jersey. We will post on a monthly basis.

We want to talk about Alzheimer’s disease and the impact this disease has in our country and our state. Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder named for German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906. Scientists have learned a great deal about Alzheimer’s disease in the century since Dr. Alzheimer first drew attention to it. We now know that Alzheimer’s is a progressive and fatal brain disease; it is the most common form of dementia; and it has no cure.

Currently more than 5.3 million Americans struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and that number continues to grow because every 70 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to the emotional and physical stress that Alzheimer’s disease causes, it is a financial nightmare for caregivers and for our country’s healthcare system. Alzheimer's and dementia triple healthcare costs for Americans age 65 and older. The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's and other dementias to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year.

We hope that this blog is a vehicle that will allow advocates to join together and make our VOICE heard! Public policy and advocacy plays a crucial role in helping to ease the burden of Alzheimer’s disease. There are a number of polices that the Greater New Jersey Chapter advocates for on the federal and state level that will help individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Here are just a few things we are working on:

Federal

The Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act of 2009 (S. 1492 & H.R. 3286): This legislation calls for a significant increase of funding for Alzheimer's at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to $2 billion. This legislation authorizes the necessary resources to restore momentum in the pursuit of better diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Advances and progress in the various areas of Alzheimer research have the potential to save millions of lives and save billions of dollars to the nation's public health programs.

The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (S.1555): This legislation calls for the fundamental need for a coordinated federal approach to confront one of America’s most feared and costly diseases.

State

Alzheimer’s Disease Study Commission (S2872/A4008): This legislation will create an Alzheimer’s Disease Study Commission in the state of NJ. The Commission will: give an overview of the impact of Alzheimer's disease in New Jersey; analyze all areas affected by Alzheimer's issues; identify existing services and service gaps; and propose legislation to the New Jersey Legislature and the Governor on how the state can better serve individuals with Alzheimer's disease and their families.

Importance of Advocacy During Memory Walk

To explain why advocacy is important during Memory Walk, I’d like to first answer this question:

What does advocacy mean?

Advocacy means giving aid or support to a cause. To be an advocate means to aid or support on behalf of someone. At the Alzheimer's Association’s, an advocate lives up to the full meaning of the definition. Individuals with Alzheimer’s cannot always speak up for themselves and fight for their rights. It is a job of the advocate to fight for them. It is the job of an advocate to hear their concerns and make the changes. An advocate can be anybody, a caregiver, a professional, a friend, family member, or just someone who wants to help. To be a successful advocate the most important thing is to listen.

An advocate can do many things. Here are some examples:

• Participate in events and help to raise awareness.

• Write, call or even visit your legislator. Tell him or her your personal story and what you feel needs to be changed/improved in our laws.

• Send your story or opinion on an issue to your local newspaper.

Memory Walk is our largest grassroots community event. At these walks all advocates have the opportunity to voice their support of the Association's policy goals to Congress. Memory Walk allows for the chance to target a large group of individuals who are there for the same cause and can give support to the millions who struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. So, put on your walking shoes and join us at this year’s Memory Walk and sign up to become an advocate and encourage other to sign up as well! Help give voice the 5.3 million Americans who are struggling with Alzheimer’s disease.

Next month’s post will cover: Memory Walk update; importance of advocacy during Memory Walk; Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month/Day activities; public policy Updates

For more information about public policy and advocacy, please visit http://www.alznj.org/. Thank you for visiting our blog; we welcome your comments here.