No, not the wine valley. Something far more impacting on the lives of those suffering, or caring for a loved one, with Alzheimer’s.
NAPA stands for ‘National Alzheimer’s Project Act’ and was a landmark legislation that went into effect this last January after having been passed unanimously in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Once enacted, NAPA will create a national strategic plan to address and overcome the rapidly escalating crisis of Alzheimer’s.
But it’s just that….in the project stage. When completed, it will create a coordinated national plan to overcome the Alzheimer crisis and will ensure the coordination and evaluation of all national efforts in Alzheimer research, clinical care, institutional, home, and community-based programs and their outcomes.
Today I traveled to Poughkeepsie, NY to meet with Representative Nan Hayworth and others, who came to the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley/Rockland/Westchester, NY Chapter to hear what the issues are that must be addressed in an Alzheimer’s national plan. I found it so refreshing that Congresswoman Hayworth would sit down to listen to caregivers…their concerns, their needs.
Our concerns as caregivers? We need help in knowing what to do when someone in our family is diagnosed. We need to know that if we take this on—home care—then we are not alone, that there will be back-up information, respite suggestions, trained professionals to help us through crisis times. We need the hope that in advanced stages, when standard medicines are no longer effective, then the FDA would create a special category that would permit late stage victims the opportunity to try promising drugs.
Representative Hayworth listened to how Alzheimer’s disease has impacted on the lives of so many, and was receptive to ideas of what to include in this federal plan. As I listened to her respond to items proposed, I was left with the real impression that this is a first, positive step.
And if our representatives, like Nan Hayworth, then take the next step—fighting to help implement caregivers’ suggestions—NAPA will go a long way in the years ahead toward eventually eliminating Alzheimer’s disease.
Hugs,
Marilynn
Marilynn with Congresswoman Nan Hayworth (accepting a copy of "Released to the Angels"
Come visit me at my website www.releasedtotheangels.com
