DES MOINES, IOWA (January 23, 2025) — On Monday, February 3, Alzheimer’s Association advocates from across the state will gather at the Iowa State Capitol to ask their state legislators to support funding the Dementia Service Specialist program that will improve access to care and support services for families facing Alzheimer’s and dementia in all Iowa communities. A press conference will be held in the rotunda at the Capitol at 1PM, followed by legislator meetings.
Advocates are asking their state legislators to support funding the Dementia Service Specialist Program in Iowa, which will provide care-planning services, memory screenings, and referrals to doctors. Each Dementia Service Specialist will also train local businesses and community organizations to become “dementia friendly” and connect those living with the disease and their care partners with services unique to their communities, like support groups and respite care. This resource will be especially helpful in rural communities where dementia care and support are currently severely lacking and prevalence of Alzheimer’s is higher than in urban areas.
Lori Angus from the Quad Cities is one of the advocates that will be at the Capitol on February 3 talking to her legislators about her personal and professional experiences which have highlighted the need for funding for this program. Angus has worked in senior services and care since 1987 when her great aunt was living with dementia and there was very little knowledge and support of Alzheimer’s and dementia. She then saw personally how difficult it was to find local care and support resources when her mom was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2013. Even her mother’s doctor couldn’t point them in the right direction of where to find local resources. The Dementia Service Specialist Program could help bridge this gap and provide much needed support to people living with the disease and their care partners.
To learn more and register for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Advocacy Day, visit tinyurl.com/2025IAAdvDay, and to become an Alzheimer’s advocate, visit alzimpact.org.
In Iowa, there are over 62,000 people over the age of 65 living with Alzheimer’s disease and nearly 100,000 family and friends providing unpaid care for their loved ones.
Alzheimer's Association®
The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Its mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.
