PRINTER'S NO. 849
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
142
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY SABATINA, DINNIMAN, MARTIN, BARTOLOTTA, BREWSTER,
FONTANA, MUTH, BROWNE, BAKER, KILLION, TARTAGLIONE, J. WARD,
PHILLIPS-HILL, BLAKE, AUMENT, HUGHES, COSTA, MENSCH, FOLMER
AND SCHWANK, JUNE 3, 2019
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, JUNE 3, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of June 2019 as "Alzheimer's and Brain
Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, June is "Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month," and
the Alzheimer's Association seeks support to raise awareness of
this debilitating disease and the need to increase efforts to
combat its human and economic costs in addition to the public
health burden throughout our Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The summer solstice, June 21, 2019, has been
declared "The Longest Day," with teams around the world coming
together to honor the strength, passion and endurance of
individuals facing Alzheimer's disease with a day of activity
and advocacy to carry out the slogan "The Day With the Most
Light is the Day We Fight"; and
WHEREAS, Every individual in our communities is at risk for
developing Alzheimer's, a fatal disease that cannot be
prevented, treated or even slowed; and
WHEREAS, It is estimated that 5.8 million Americans of all
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ages are living with Alzheimer's, including 200,000 people under
65 years of age who have younger-onset Alzheimer's in the United
States, and more than 280,000 Pennsylvanians 65 years of age and
older living with the disease; and
WHEREAS, Barring the development of medical breakthroughs,
the number of people 65 years of age or older with Alzheimer's
may nearly triple to almost 14 million by 2050; and
WHEREAS, Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in
the United States and Pennsylvania, and one in three seniors
dies with Alzheimer's or another dementia; and
WHEREAS, During 2018 in the United States, more than 16
million family members and friends provided 18.5 billion hours
of unpaid care to individuals with Alzheimer's and other
dementias and that care had an estimated economic value of $234
billion; and
WHEREAS, In 2018, Pennsylvania had an estimated 676,000
Alzheimer's and dementia family caregivers providing 770 million
hours of unpaid care valued at more than $9.732 billion; and
WHEREAS, Those with Alzheimer's and dementia require more
support and resources as cognitive, behavioral and physical
functioning worsens over time, placing enormous burdens on
government budgets and out-of-pocket expenses; and
WHEREAS, The lifetime cost of care for those with dementia is
nearly double the cost of care of those without dementia; and
WHEREAS, In 2019, Alzheimer's and other dementias will cost
the nation $290 billion and total payments for health care,
long-term care and hospice care are expected to reach more than
$1.1 trillion by 2050; and
WHEREAS, Since the Alzheimer's and dementia continuum spans
decades, it provides many opportunities to model public health
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approaches to change outcomes, expand early detection and
diagnosis and improve safety and quality of care for people
living with cognitive impairment, all while attending to the
caregiver's health and well-being; and
WHEREAS, Eighty-two percent of seniors say it is important to
have their thinking or memory checked by a primary care doctor,
but only 16% of seniors report receiving regular cognitive
assessments, underscoring the need for older adults and doctors
to proactively discuss cognitive health during routine exams
that could lead to early diagnosis and promote better care
planning and quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Researchers in Pennsylvania and around the world
continue their efforts to develop scientific breakthroughs and
public health interventions that could one day bring about a
world without Alzheimer's disease; and
WHEREAS, The individuals, families, friends and caregivers
dealing with Alzheimer's disease and the researchers who are
seeking a cause or cure should be recognized; and
WHEREAS, The efforts of the Alzheimer's Association to raise
funds and promote awareness to fight Alzheimer's disease and
other dementias improve the quality of human life for
individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and their
caregivers; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of June 2019 as
"Alzheimer's Disease and Brain Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That, in an effort to raise more awareness about
the disease's prevalence, the Senate:
(1) recognize that Alzheimer's is a public health crisis
that impacts everyone throughout this Commonwealth and early
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detection and diagnosis is paramount;
(2) encourage Pennsylvanians to wear purple throughout
the month of June in support of family and friends living
with the disease; and
(3) encourage Pennsylvanians to participate in one of
the Alzheimer's Association "The Longest Day" local
activities.
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