Kreisher Marshall & Associates very own Elaine Spicher, Elder Care Coordinator, had the honor of representing Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District at the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) Advocacy Forum in Washington D.C. earlier this month. AIM, an advocacy affiliate of the Alzheimer’s Association, seeks to advance and develop policies to overcome Alzheimer’s and all other dementias through increased investment in research, enhanced care and improved support. “Alzheimer’s advocacy is not a red issue or blue issue but a bipartisan issue and that is why we turned Capitol Hill purple on Advocacy Day,” stated Elaine.
There were over 1,000 volunteer advocates at the Forum representing all 50 states – hearing from speakers and panelists from the Alzheimer’s Association leadership, research leaders, Senators, Representatives, individuals living with the disease and experts in the field of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. They celebrated public policy victories, honored advocates and leaders who have made Alzheimer’s a national priority, and met with legislators to urge them to consider and support important legislation that prioritizes Alzheimer’s disease, education for health care providers and caregiver support. “It was an incredible opportunity for me to meet so many individuals from across the country that share the same passion I have about bringing awareness and improving the lives of those individuals living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia as well as their care partners,” said Elaine.
Actor David Hyde Pierce served as the emcee for the National Alzheimer’s Dinner and shared the loss of his grandfather to Alzheimer’s and his grandmother to the strain of caring for him. He then spoke of his father developing vascular dementia and how he and his siblings became caregivers. He credited the Alzheimer’s Association for helping them to understand and handle his father’s decline.
On Tuesday, Elaine had the opportunity to meet with Congressman Dan Meuser’s office, Senator John Fetterman and Senator Robert Casey, Jr. She shared her mother’s dementia story as well as her professional experience advocating and assisting those caring for and living with all forms of dementia. According to Elaine, “dementia has not only affected my life but the lives of so many others across the country. This is a growing crisis with it impacting nearly 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer‘s disease and more than 11 million Americans who are their caregivers.”
The Advocacy Forum was a great time for all participants providing so much hope for what is yet to come. For more information about AIM go to www.alzimpact.org.
