Bipartisan effort to expand dementia training for PCP's

I’m 70 years old and am the primary caregiver for my long-time friend Jack, who was diagnosed with moderate dementia three years ago. Jack has no other friends or family members who can help him, so I moved in to help him through this horrible journey. I have no idea what I’m doing and am just winging it hour by hour, day to day, while watching a dear friend lose his mind.
What’s been really hard is the total lack of information and support from Jack’s healthcare providers since his diagnosis three years ago. During his cognitive exam, the neurologist dismissed us with instructions to make an appointment with Jack’s primary care physician (PCP); we haven’t seen a neurologist since. Jack’s PCP asked a few questions that Jack struggled to answer and 15 minutes later sent us on our way with a prescription of Donepezil (Aricept), a drug that can temporarily help slow or reduce the symptoms.
Following the diagnosis and loss of his driver’s license, Jack became very upset, agitated, and depressed (understandably!). I made an appointment with his PCP so we could discuss this, but all he did was offer another drug that does the same thing as Donepezil (Memantine, which I’ve since learned isn’t effective in treating depression), and sent us on our way. Jack hasn’t had a second appointment with the Memory Care Department and his PCP avoids or dances around any dementia related questions I ask. I’m now afraid to ask any more questions, since drugs seem to be his only answer and I don’t want Jack to be overmedicated. What I’m looking for is a partnership with the doctor and nursing staff to help me and Jack navigate our way through this journey. It’s very frustrating: I desperately need more help in navigating Jack’s symptoms/aggressions/behavioral problems to alleviate the stress on both of us.

I am so grateful I finally found the Alzheimer’s Association, where I can get answers and understanding.
Nearly 840,000 Californians are living with Alzheimer’s, a population projected to double to more than 1.6 million by 2040. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over 95 percent of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementia experience behavioral symptoms including physical or verbal aggression or refusal to let caregivers help them. Meanwhile, most PCP’s report they do not feel prepared to provide care for those living with dementia. It’s insane that our health workforce is so unprepared for what’s coming down the pike!

Thankfully, there’s a new bipartisan effort in Congress to provide free video education and training about Alzheimer’s and dementia to primary care providers, so they can better care for people living with dementia. The bill is called the Accelerating Access to Dementia & Alzheimer’s Provider Training (AADAPT) Act (H.R. 7688 / S. 4276) and would build on Project ECHO, a telementoring program that has been shown to improve health outcomes for complex diseases while reducing barriers and the cost of care through a team-based approach.

In honor of Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month this June, I hope readers will click here to join me in asking Congressman Eric Swalwell and Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler to help by cosponsoring the bipartisan AADAPT Act.