ALFA: Alzheimer's taskforce ignores assisted living options
ALFA: Alzheimer's taskforce ignores assisted living options
A leading assisted living group says the federal government excluded the industry in its recently released proposal to fight Alzheimer's disease.
In a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Assisted Living Federation of America said it was “dismayed to see the lack of acknowledgment of the role assisted living has in caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease,” in the HHS taskforce plan released Jan. 9.
The letter points to research by Acclaro Growth Partners that says, as of 2009, one-third all of the residents residing in assisted living communities have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or a related dementia. And, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 42% of residents living in residential care facilities have Alzheimer's.
ALFA's letter also requests that the taskforce replace the term Alzheimer's “patient” to “resident” or “individual” in written communications related to Alzheimer's care. HHS will be accepting feedback about the plan until Feb. 8.
Click here to read ALFA's letter.
