Several weeks ago, the Alzheimer’s Association in conjunction with the Georgia Alzheimer’s Impact Movement sent advocates, such as myself, to Washington, D.C. to advocate for those living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. 

The organization selected me to take the lead during our meeting with Sen. Jon Ossoff’s team. It was my utmost privilege to represent Georgia and particularly South Georgia.

The weather was spectacular as were Georgia advocates as we articulated five “asks” of our congressional leaders. Sens. Ossoff and Raphael Warnock were particularly engaged as we shared personal stories of the dreadful dementia diseases. 

Sen. Warnock shared his personal story featuring his godmother and many of his congregants at his church that had or currently experiencing one of the dementias. Sen. Ossoff’s aide, Felix Wu, was equally engaged in the dementia conversation. 

Congressman Buddy Carter has and continues to sign all legislative measures that support the work of combating Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Rep. Carter is clearly a dementia champion. However, I am confident, Sens. Ossoff and Warnock will also sign legislative measures that support our legislative cause and become dementia champions as well.

As we spent an entire day on Capitol Hill, you must be wondering what were our five legislative asks? Allow me to extrapolate. 

1) The National Alzheimer’s Project Act Reauthorization Act will extend the National Alzheimer’s Project to ensure that the nation continues to address Alzheimer’s and all other dementias as a priority. This act has been a game changer regarding improvement in the delivery of clinical care and services. 

2) Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act would continue the Alzheimer’s and dementia professional judgment budget from the National Institutes of Health directly to Congress. 

3) Georgia advocates also made the “ask” to support a $226 million increase for Alzheimer’s and other dementia research at the NIH and $30 million to implement the Building our Largest Dementia Infrastructure at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fiscal Year 2023.

4) We asked our leaders to cosponsor the bipartisan Equity in Neuroscience and Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials. This legislation would increase the participants of underrepresented populations by expanding education and outreach to Black and Hispanic populations. Moreover, this legislation would encourage diversity within the clinical trial staff and reduce participant burdens.

5) Our final “ask” was to cosponsor the bipartisan Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act. This would recommend the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to implement a dementia care management model to test the effectiveness of comprehensive care managing services. The model is designed to reach as many Medicare beneficiaries as possible; especially individuals from diverse communities, rural and medically underserved areas.

Before I depart, I would like to make a simple “ask” of you. Kindly reach out to our Georgia Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and encourage them to cosponsor the bipartisan “asks.” In addition, thank Congressman Buddy Carter for his legislative commitment to disrupt dementia.

Debra Tann, Ed.D., is a resident of Valdosta and dementia educator.