01/31/2012 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HCR20 | |
| Presentation: Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HCR 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
JOINT MEETING
HOUSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
January 31, 2012
3:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
HOUSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Representative Wes Keller, Chair
Representative Alan Dick, Vice Chair
Representative Bob Herron
Representative Paul Seaton
Representative Bob Miller
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Senator Bettye Davis, Chair
Senator Dennis Egan
Senator Fred Dyson
MEMBERS ABSENT
HOUSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Representative Beth Kerttula
Representative Charisse Millett
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Senator Johnny Ellis
Senator Kevin Meyer
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 20
Designating February 2012 as American Heart Month.
- MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE
PRESENTATION: ALZHEIMER'S RESOURCE OF ALASKA
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HCR 20
SHORT TITLE: AMERICAN HEART MONTH
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) P.WILSON
01/25/12 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/25/12 (H) HSS
01/31/12 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY WILSON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HCR 20 as the prime sponsor of
the bill.
JAMIE MORGAN
Senior Government Relations Director
American Heart Association (AHA)
Western States Affiliate
Sacramento, California
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HCR 20.
BOB URATA, MD
Family Physician
American Heart Association Volunteer
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HCR 20.
JIM FOSTER
Paramedic
American Heart Association volunteer
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HCR 20.
DULCE NOBRE, Executive Director
Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented an overview of Alzheimer's and
related diseases.
AMBER SMITH, Education Specialist
Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of
Alzheimer's and related diseases.
CHERYL PUTNAM, Family Care Giver
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of
Alzheimer's Disease and related disorders.
PATRICK CUNNINGHAM, DSW
Member, Board of Directors
Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during discussion of Alzheimer's
and related diseases.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:05:53 PM
CHAIR WES KELLER called the meeting of the House Health and
Social Services Standing Committee to order at 3:05 p.m.
Representatives Keller, Miller, Dick, and Herron were present at
the call to order. Representative Seaton arrived as the meeting
was in progress.
HCR 20-AMERICAN HEART MONTH
3:07:03 PM
CHAIR KELLER announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 20, Designating February 2012 as
American Heart Month.
3:07:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY WILSON, Alaska State Legislature, prime
sponsor of HCR 20, paraphrased from her sponsor statement:
HCR 20 raises awareness of the nation's leading cause
of death, cardiovascular disease, by having the State
of Alaska join the American Heart Association in
celebrating February 2012 as American Heart Month.
This unfortunate disease causes an average of one
American death every 39 seconds or nearly 2,200 deaths
each day. It is the costliest disease in the nation,
with direct and indirect costs estimated to be
$297,700,000 a year. Research shows that there are
clear preventative and community based strategies that
can increase survival rates from this disease. The
American Heart Association's 2020 impact goal seeks to
improve cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20
percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular
disease and stroke by 20 percent through research,
population-level and community-level interventions,
and public health and policy measures. The passage of
this resolution would join Alaska and the American
Heart Association in raising awareness of this disease
by celebrating February 2012 as "American Heart Month"
and promoting education and awareness by encouraging
citizens to learn the warning signs of heart attack
and stroke.
3:09:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if HCR 20 was intended to only be
designated for this year.
3:09:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON, in response, said that, currently, it
was just for this year, but that she would like to see it become
permanent.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER expressed his agreement, and asked if HCR
20 included any planned programs for exercise, diet, and
smoking.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON replied that a representative from the
American Heart Association would answer that question.
3:10:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON offered his belief that annual
introduction of the resolution "keeps it on the forefront."
3:11:44 PM
CHAIR KELLER opened public testimony.
3:12:03 PM
JAMIE MORGAN, Senior Government Relations Director, American
Heart Association (AHA), Western States Affiliate, expressed her
appreciation to the House Health and Social Services Standing
Committee for its support of HCR 20. In response to an earlier
question by Representative Miller, she said that AHA had many
educational programs in the community, as well as other
available resources and materials posted on its website. She
urged support for HCR 20.
3:13:07 PM
BOB URATA, MD, Family Physician, American Heart Association
Volunteer, stated that he supported HCR 20. He confirmed that
heart disease and stroke were a major cause of death and
disability. He pointed out that many of the deaths from
cardiovascular disease could be prevented by avoiding key risk
factors and treating those which were abnormal. He stated that
"maintaining a healthy weight, blood pressure, cholesterol,
sugar, and not smoking are key risk factors that can lead to a
longer life." He referenced the National Institute of Health
(NIH), stating that 1.6 million lives had been saved since 1977
with an estimated 44 percent due to a reduction of risk factors.
He reported that overweight and obesity was the new threat, as
27 percent of high school students were overweight or obese.
"This will lead to an increase in high blood pressure, diabetes,
and heart disease." He noted that although there was an
increased awareness for the signs of heart attack, only 27
percent knew to call 911. He emphasized that "increasing
awareness of risk factors and emergency care is a first step in
reducing the risk of death and disability from this disease."
He offered his support for passage of HCR 20.
3:15:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON reflected that the statistics were
sobering. He pointed out that food manufacturers created
complex formulas to make food taste better, though not
necessarily healthier, and asked if AHA was attempting to combat
this.
3:16:40 PM
DR. URATA replied that AHA scientists maintained a nutrition
vigil.
3:17:07 PM
MS. MORGAN, acknowledging the issue, stated that AHA had not yet
taken a position. She offered to update the committee as more
information became available.
3:17:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON opined that although everyone liked food
that tasted good, he questioned whether it was healthy for
companies to create compounds to enhance flavor solely in order
to get people to eat more of that food.
3:18:15 PM
DR. URATA, reflecting on the elimination of salt from his diet
in order to combat rising blood pressure, suggested that his
taste buds had adjusted to this change and that, after time,
salty foods began to taste bitter.
3:19:27 PM
JIM FOSTER, Paramedic, stated that having a month dedicated to
cardiovascular disease allowed the opportunity to bring
awareness to the epidemic problem. He reported that although
this was the number one cause of death in America, it was not a
"media event" so it was not recognized.
3:20:49 PM
CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony.
3:21:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON moved to report HCR 20 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
notes. There being no objection, HCR 20 was reported from the
House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.
3:21:29 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:21 p.m. to 3:33 p.m.
3:33:34 PM
SENATOR BETTYE DAVIS called the joint meeting of the House and
Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committees to order
at 3:33 p.m. Senators Davis, Egan, and Dyson and
Representatives Keller and Miller were present at the call to
order. Representative Seaton arrived as the meeting was in
progress.
^Presentation: Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska
Presentation: Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska
3:34:17 PM
SENATOR DAVIS announced that the only order of business would be
a presentation on Alzheimer's Resources of Alaska.
3:34:31 PM
DULCE NOBRE, Executive Director, Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska,
shared that the Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska had incorporated
as a 501(c)(3) in 1984 and that the 17 members on the board of
directors reflected a good geographic diversity. She reported
that the organization served all of Alaska primarily through its
four offices: Anchorage, Juneau, Palmer, and Fairbanks. She
shared that the organization hired people in local communities,
and that it currently had 117 active in-home workers throughout
the state, 44 percent of who were in rural areas. They served
any age group with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia, as
well as frail elders over 60 years of age without cognitive
impairments, who needed assistance. She pointed out that the
organization also served the family care givers, as the majority
of service was in the home. She noted that the recipients of
service were 65 percent clients and 35 percent care givers. She
reported that the organization supplied a variety of services,
including care coordination, in-home service, and education and
support services.
3:40:56 PM
MS. NOBRE reported that Alaska's senior population, 60 and over,
was growing at five times the national rate. She explained
that, as age was a risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease, the over
60 population had almost tripled in the last 20 years to more
than 6000 people today. She opined that in the next ten years,
this population would double again.
3:44:22 PM
MS. NOBRE confirmed that this fast rate of growth would stretch
the resources of the organization. She directed attention to
the Alzheimer's Disease & Related Disorders (ADRD) grant for
$127,118, which had only been increased once, by 10 percent, in
the last 20 years. She compared this 10 percent grant increase
to the 300 percent increase in the AARD population served. She
pointed out the social and financial savings generated by this
program, as it delayed the placement of individuals into
facilities. She offered her belief that the grant increase was
a good investment in the prevention of crisis.
3:48:03 PM
CHAIR KELLER asked to clarify that the growth rate was
proportional to the population and not an increase in the
incidence of Alzheimer's Disease.
MS. NOBRE replied that the Alzheimer's incidence rate had
remained constant.
CHAIR KELLER asked how many frail elders were served.
MS. NOBRE clarified that the frail elders were served by another
program.
3:49:11 PM
SENATOR EGAN asked if dementia and Alzheimer's were the same.
MS. NOBRE, in response to Senator Egan, said that dementia was
an umbrella term, to describe a variety of conditions, which
included Alzheimer's Disease.
SENATOR EGAN relayed a personal story.
MS. NOBRE clarified that Alzheimer's Disease was only diagnosed
with certainty after an autopsy. She noted that dementia was
often used when there was no other diagnosis, but that other
diseases such as Parkinson's could cause dementia. Dementia was
described as a set of symptoms. Everyone with Alzheimer's has
dementia, but everyone with dementia does not necessarily have
Alzheimer's.
3:51:28 PM
SENATOR EGAN asked about the dramatic increase in the number of
diagnoses.
MS. NOBRE opined that the senior population in Alaska was
growing five times faster than other states. She declared that
age was the greatest risk factor and that the incidence of
Alzheimer's increased by 47 percent after the age of 80.
3:53:03 PM
SENATOR DYSON respectfully asked what Ms. Nobre wanted to
accomplish with this presentation and what she would like to
have from the committee.
MS. NOBRE requested the opportunity to educate the public. She
requested a $223,000 increase in the grant money from the state.
3:54:24 PM
SENATOR DYSON asked if this had been included in the governor's
budget.
MS. NOBRE replied that the incremental increase was not.
SENATOR DYSON summarized the request to be an increase in money
for ADRD.
3:54:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska
worked with preventative treatments.
MS. NOBRE said that they offered mental fitness, diet, and
exercise programs.
3:56:13 PM
AMBER SMITH, Education Specialist, Alzheimer's Resource of
Alaska, relayed that she travelled around Southeast Alaska
providing education and support services. She described that
anyone can make an anonymous phone call to discuss memory
concerns or to receive a free memory screening. She declared
that, based on concerns and the screening results, the person
may be encouraged to schedule with a health care provider. If
this is the case, she offered counseling on what to expect from
the health care provider. She reported that, with early
diagnosis of any disorder, the ADRD program offered early memory
loss support groups. She detailed that these groups were
facilitated by an education specialist and offered interaction
with other people with similar diagnosis, understanding of what
to expect, advance planning, and realization that they were not
alone. She informed the committee that family care givers would
also contact the program in search of resources, support,
education, and training. She shared that she offered training
to professional care givers, as well, and this training improved
the quality of life for both the providers and the patients.
She mentioned that she and her colleagues attended health fairs,
hosted awareness events, and spoke with community groups about
Alzheimer's and related dementias and warning signs to help
reduce the stigma and isolation. She requested that the grant
funding from the state be increased.
4:03:06 PM
CHERYL PUTNAM, Family Care Giver, established that she was the
adult long distance care giver to her mother in Skagway, while
she [Cheryl] lived in a nursing home in Juneau. She declared
that her family and friends had banded together to bring health
care services to her 84 year old mother in Skagway, who did not
want to leave her home of 50 years. Since her mother's
development of dementia, Ms. Putnam had worked with the
organization for help with the planning for her mom. She
detailed that dementia was much more than a memory issue, as it
included logic, perception, and cognition. She lauded the ADRD
program and the support it had provided.
4:08:01 PM
MS. PUTNAM relayed that as her mom's condition continued to
deteriorate, she had approached Ms. Smith to develop a plan of
action for her mother. She confirmed that there was a great
relief in developing the plan, and in knowing there were others
to ask for help. She emphasized that the ADRD program had kept
her mom out of a nursing home and better prepared the family for
what was ahead. She declared her support for the funding
request, pointing to a need due to the aging of the Boomer
generation.
4:12:49 PM
PATRICK CUNNINGHAM, DSW, Member, Board of Directors, Alzheimer's
Resource of Alaska, reading from a prepared statement:
My name is Patrick Cunningham and I am a member of the
Board of Directors of Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska.
I am also an Associate Professor of Social Work in the
College of Health, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Thank you for the opportunity of meeting with you to
present information regarding Alzheimer's Disease and
Related Dementia. Related to this, I wish to thank
Senator Bettye Davis for introducing Senate Bill 179
creating missing vulnerable adult prompt response and
notification plans. This is similar to the Amber
Alert for missing children, but targets adults.
Victims of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia
have a tendency to wander as one of the manifestations
of the condition and are at risk. Just last month in
Fairbanks, a 63 year old woman suffering from
Alzheimer's Disease froze to death after she became
disoriented while driving, ran out of gas, and tried
walking several miles to seek help.
A number of University of Alaska Anchorage Bachelor
and Master of Social Work graduates are employed by
Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska and provide education
and support services as well as care coordination.
Last July, I attended the Alzheimer's Association
International Conference on Alzheimer's disease, in
Paris, France.
Attending this Conference were over 5,000 scientists
from all over the world who are engaged in a variety
of research ventures seeking the causes of the disease
and developing treatment interventions. I had the
opportunity of reporting on challenges of care
coordination in Alaska listing 20 challenges and
proposing 20 solutions. Among the solutions was an
emphasis on proactive early detection and engagement
in services. I learned at the Conference that it is
possible to identify individuals who are at risk for
the Disease ten years prior to onset with 80 percent
accuracy. The identification of biomarkers that may
be measured with brain scans, spinal fluid analysis,
blood, and cognitive markers consisting of tests for
mild cognitive impairment are methods that are being
used. At the Conference, the results of The World
Alzheimer Report 2011 provided evidence that early
dementia diagnosis, coupled with early intervention,
is cost-effective, as the costs of an earlier
diagnosis are more than offset by savings from the use
of antidementia drugs and delayed
institutionalization. Other key findings were:
· when people with dementia are well prepared and
supported, their initial feelings of shock, anger, and
grief often give way to a sense of reassurance and
empowerment.
· earlier diagnosis allows patients to plan ahead while
they can still make important decisions about their
future care and allows them and their families to
access timely practical advice and support, as well as
to access available therapies that may improve their
cognition and enhance their quality of life; and
· most people with early-stage dementia would want to be
told of their diagnosis.
The Alaska Division of Public Health conducts the
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
Data are collected on risk and preventive behaviors
and chronic disease prevalence that are especially
useful for planning, initiating, supporting, and
evaluating health promotion and disease prevention
programs. Although Alzheimer's disease is listed as
the 8th leading cause of death in Alaska and predicted
to increase, it is not referenced in the section
dealing with chronic disease. The Center of Disease
Control Healthy Aging Program has developed an Impact
of Cognitive Impairment Module to assess and monitor
the public's beliefs about the impact of cognitive
impairment. So far, 20 states have added it to the
Behavioral risk Factor Surveillance System. It
consists of 10 questions. The CDC has also developed
a Caregiver Module to examine various aspects of
caregiving. It also contains 10 questions. If the
Division of Public Health were to include these
modules in the survey, this would provide service
providers like Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska with
essential information to assist them in health
promotion and disease prevention programs.
To date, treatment interventions for Alzheimer's
disease and Related Dementia consists of
pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches.
Some medication has been found to delay the
progression of the disease, if identified early, but
not cure it. Among the non-pharmacological approaches
are prevention of risk factors, psychological, diet,
exercise, and cognitively stimulating activities.
Some experts are advocating for a paradigm shift away
from the current approach of treating symptoms as they
emerge to targeting the disease in its very earliest,
preclinical stage. These are individuals with mild
cognitive impairment who have not progressed to
Alzheimer's disease. This offers the best
opportunity, to date, to prevent or substantially
delay the Disease.
A study reported at the Conference that I attended
stated that up to 50% of Alzheimer's Disease cases are
potentially attributable to 7 preventable risk
factors. These include smoking, physical inactivity,
midlife obesity, midlife hypertension, depression,
diabetes, and cognitive inactivity. This is where
interventions to increase education and physical
activity and reduce smoking rates and depression could
potentially have a dramatic impact on Alzheimer's
prevalence over time. At the national level,
government action on AD does not reflect the expanding
human, social, and economic burden of the disease for
American families. Today there are 5.4 million
Americans with Alzheimer's disease and by 2050. As
many as 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer's and
the cost of care will surpass $1 trillion annually.
There is currently no cure for AD and no disease-
modifying treatment, so the current best hope lies in
identifying prevention strategies.
Psychological interventions target behavioral and
psychological symptoms of dementia. The most obvious
are agitation, aggression, mood disorders and
psychosis. Some examples of interventions are art,
music, activity, and validation therapy.
In terms of diet, a study of relatively healthy
elderly adults found that those with diets rich in
several vitamins B, C, D, E or omega-3 fatty acids had
better cognitive function and less brain atrophy
associated with Alzheimer's disease than their peers
with diets less abundant in these nutrients. Those
who ate a diet rich in red meat and full-fat dairy
foods were more likely to get Alzheimer's disease
compared to those who ate a diet consisting mostly of
nuts, poultry, fish, fruits, and vegetables. A
chemistry professor at UAA has been recently rewarded
a grant to study the effect of bog blueberries on
dementia. Circumin derived from the spice turmeric
reduces amyloidal accumulation and synaptic marker
loss associated with Alzheimer's disease. There is
currently a clinical trial underway to determine the
effect of the herb sage as a potential treatment for
the disease. Sage has been demonstrated to enhance
memory and mental function.
Mounting evidence suggests that physical activity may
have benefits beyond a healthy heart and body weight.
Through the past several years, population studies
have suggested that exercise which raises your heart
rate for at least 30 minutes several times a week can
lower your risk of Alzheimer's. A number of clinical
trials are examining the effect of aerobic fitness
training on human cognition, brain structure, and
brain functioning in older adults. The use of a
Nintendo gaming console called WII Fit is being tested
for aerobics, strength, training and balance
improvement with individuals with a diagnosis of mild
dementia. A nurse at the University Of Washington
School Of Nursing is evaluating an exercise and health
promotion program for older adults with mild memory
loss. And lastly, an even more promising program
included exercise and mental activity. The
participants rode recumbent bikes for an average of 3
rides per week, plus they had a virtual reality
display that allowed them to ride in a 3-dimensional
landscape and race against a ghost rider based on
their last best performance.
In a group of healthy elderly individuals, researchers
found that greater participation throughout life in
cognitively stimulating activities such as reading,
writing, and playing challenging games were associated
with less beta-amyloid deposition in the brain, a
hallmark of AD. Other cognitive activities for AD
patients is to engage them in activities of
recollection which are not only general in nature, but
also can focus on memory skills that can be directly
helpful to them in activities of daily living, such as
where they left a purse or wallet, or what is their
living address. These memory exercises are also
beneficial to their caregivers, who often get
frustrated with the memory deficits of their family
member.
One of the functions of the agency's Education and
Support Program is to provide education to the health
care provider. Since it is the primary health care
provider who bears the responsibility for managing
most of the AD patients, there clearly is a need to
assist these clinicians with best practices
guidelines. When best prepared, the provider will be
able to make the appropriate diagnosis and, in a
timely manner, inform the patient so that crises can
be avoided, therapeutic and rehabilitative support can
be initiated, and the patient can be adequately
informed so that choices can be made for the future
while decision-making capability remains. The patient
and family face many short-term and long-term
decisions that are best made based on knowledge of the
disease process, the range of symptom progression, and
the ultimate prognosis. This would include making
decisions about advance directives to physicians,
appointing a durable medical power of attorney,
discussing end of life decisions with whoever will be
designated as the surrogate decision maker, and future
living arrangements. This is where a referral to the
agency education and support services is warranted.
In terms of an economy of scale, when you consider the
services provided by this program it becomes very cost
effective when it may prevent the development of
Alzheimer's Disease or delay it resulting in the
individual remaining in their home and community for
as long as possible, extending their quality of life
and remaining out of an assisted living facility or
nursing home. If the services the program provides
delays for one year a nursing home admission for two
clients, it results in a savings of well over
$200,000. When you consider this, the request for
$223,000 additional funding for the grant is a very
modest one. Even more funding would enable an even
greater outreach program.
4:27:55 PM
CHAIR DAVIS asked for the current finances of the Alzheimer's
Resource of Alaska.
4:28:24 PM
MS. NOBRE replied that the organization currently received
$127,000, which included the one increase of 10 percent in the
past 20 years. In response to Chair Davis, she affirmed that
Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska had spoken with the of the House
Finance Committee's Budget Subcommittee.
CHAIR DAVIS opined that the organization provided "a great
service" to both the patients and the care givers. She shared a
personal story of her mother's affliction with Alzheimer's
Disease.
4:30:43 PM
DR. CUNNINGHAM, in response to Representative Miller, said that
more research was conducted outside the U.S. He declared that
vitamins were better received from foods than from pills. He
listed Vitamins B, C, D, and E and the Omega 3 fatty acids as
good preventatives. He also touted turmeric, stewed tomatoes,
strawberries, and artichokes as good non-pharmalogical
additions.
4:32:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER, reflecting on discussions about the
possibility of mad cow disease being inherent in the meat
supply, asked about a European study that indicated the
similarity between mad cow disease and Alzheimer's Disease, and
the subsequent misdiagnosis.
DR. CUNNINGHAM stated that he was not aware of any further
studies, but he shared that depression was often misdiagnosed as
dementia. He agreed with Representative Miller to the
importance of monitoring the food chain. He emphasized that the
cause for Alzheimer's was still unknown.
4:34:22 PM
MS. SMITH clarified that Alzheimer's Disease and mad cow disease
were separate diseases, though both were causes of dementia.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER stated that the aforementioned study
indicated that many cases were misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's, when
in fact, 20 - 30 percent were mad cow disease.
4:35:18 PM
CHAIR KELLER asked if the bio markers were definite. He
expressed his astonishment that 50 percent of dementia cases
were preventable by life style changes.
4:35:58 PM
DR. CUNNINGHAM, in response, said that the presence of these bio
markers often did identify the presence of Alzheimer's.
4:36:50 PM
SENATOR EGAN expressed his pride for the compassion offered by
Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska and similar organizations.
4:38:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON stated his agreement with a focus on the
prevention of disease. He reflected on HCR 5, which focused on
the prevention of disease as a model for health care, and was
adopted unanimously by the entire legislature. He shared that
Fraser Health in British Columbia, Canada had recently
instituted a weekly dosage of 20,000 IU of Vitamin D to all
patients in the senior residential care. He pointed out that
this had resulted in a 10 - 25 percent reduction in fractures, a
significant savings, as the cost of one fracture was equal to
the cost of the entire Vitamin D program. He lauded the
benefits of a prevention model.
4:40:11 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Health and Social Services Standing Committee meeting was
adjourned at 4:40 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HCR_20 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HHSS 1/31/2012 3:00:00 PM |
|
| HCR_20A.pdf |
HHSS 1/31/2012 3:00:00 PM |
|
| HCR_20 AHA Impact Goal 2020.PDF |
HHSS 1/31/2012 3:00:00 PM |
|
| HJR20 1-26-12.pdf |
HHSS 1/31/2012 3:00:00 PM |
fiscal note |
| ALZHEIMER'S 2011 annual report.pdf |
HHSS 1/31/2012 3:00:00 PM |
|
| ADRD Funding Request .pdf |
HHSS 1/31/2012 3:00:00 PM |