The nation's leading organization of assisted living providers today urged the Senate Special Committee on Aging to look to assisted living providers for the model of care for victims of Alzheimer's disease.
Richard Grimes, the CEO and president of the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), submitted testimony to the committee as it launched hearings on the impact on Americans of the progressive brain disease. Grimes said that he was unable to attend the hearing because his stepmother, a longtime sufferer of Alzheimer's, died this week. His 89 year old father cared for her at home for years until her condition grew worse when she moved to an assisted living community where she received excellent care until her death.
In his testimony, Grimes said, "Assisted living providers offer a safe and comfortable option for Alzheimer's sufferers. The Assisted Living Federation of America, the trade association representing the nation's leading assisted living providers, is proud of the ground breaking work of its members in creating a humane and secure living environment for the victims of this dreaded disease.''
Scientists estimate more than 14 million Americans will suffer from Alzheimer's disease in the next 40 years and half of all people who reach the age of 85 will exhibit some symptoms of the condition. While drugs can slow the progression of the disease, there is no cure. Because victims can live as long as 20 years from this progressive disease, the type and qualify of care is an enormous concern for all Americans. Assisted living is the fastest growing long term care option in the United States because industry providers work aggressively to meet the needs of an aging population. This relentless focus on meeting customer needs and desires in a homelike residential setting has led to tremendous innovation in caring for individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. PNAS | June 3, 2008 | vol. 105 | no. 22 | 7863-786
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