Washington, DC—Dr. Yanira Cruz, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA)— the leading national organization working to improve the lives of Hispanic older adults, their families, and caregivers— made the following statement regarding the Administration’s announcement of a draft framework from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to end Alzheimer’s disease by 2025:
“As the leading national organization working to improve the lives of Hispanic older adults, their families, and caregivers, the National Hispanic Council on Aging applauds the Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services for taking solid steps to end Alzheimer’s disease by 2025, a condition that is becoming a growing public health crisis among Hispanics in the United States.
“The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that the number of U.S. Hispanic Alzheimer’s patients will increase six-fold by 2050. That is why it is imperative we work collectively to ensure an end to this devastating disease which affects patients, their families and caregivers, and places a great burden on the nation’s health care system. The Administration’s framework is putting us on that path, and we look forward to actively collaborating on this effort.
“On our part, NHCOA is working to increase Alzheimer’s disease knowledge by conducting research to understand the attitudes, level of stigma, level of knowledge, and challenges within the Hispanic community as it relates to both caregivers and health care providers. It is our hope that the findings of this study will serve as the basis for interventions designed to ensure effective management of Alzheimer’s within the Hispanic community.
“As long as we work together, it is possible to bring an end to Alzheimer’s disease in our lifetime.”